News

We have to wise up - Deans

August 07 2009

While Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has been full of praise for the opposition ahead of Saturday's Tri-Nations clash at Newlands, he was quick to point out that his team's destiny is in their own hands.

Earlier in the week, in Deans' absence, Nathan Sharpe and Benn Robinson purred cold water on accusations from Springbok coach Peter de Villiers that Australia have been deliberately collapsing scrums to milk penalties.

At his first press conference in Cape Town on Thursday, Deans said that if anyone has been given a raw deal by referees recently, it was probably Australia. He admitted that the Wallabies were probably still paying for weakness in scrums in years gone by as perceptions of their vulnerability at the set piece still linger.

"I did read that comment with interest where he suggested that we had manipulated others. I'd suggest it's probably quite the opposite," said Deans.

"I think we've been manipulated (by opposition scrum tactics). We certainly haven't had any benefit of manipulation, put it that way.

"We have to wise up a little bit, to be quite honest. We have been manipulated and suffered as a consequence. We've got to master that. It's not a good idea to leave that in the hands of another."

While he played down the importance of meeting with referee Alain Rolland before the game, he admitted he would try to speak to the Irishman to clarify what he requires from both teams at Newlands.

"I understand there is an opportunity (to meet Rolland). Those regulations seem to change from year to year with paranoia and other things," he quipped.

"I think I may have a chat with him, but just to see if there are any issues that he is concerned about and that may have been brought up,"

"We'd certainly like to know if he has some areas of concern, particularly if our opposition meet and there's something that surfaces out of that, because we'd like to know and be forewarned."

Beyond the referee, the coach said the unpredictable weather in Cape Town meant his players would have to be smart when they made their decisions.

"Who knows what circumstances we'll be faced with - we won't be going in a single idea, a plan 'A' if you like, and chasing it regardless," he said.

Deans has made just one change to the squad that lost to New Zealand in Auckland, bringing wing Peter Hynes onto the bench as a straight swap for openside flanker Phil Waugh - a break from the recent habit of having two loose forwards in reserve in an unconventional five/two split. But Deans hastened to point out that the addition of a back for a forward didn't necessarily mean the Wallabies had drastically changed their gameplan.

"It was circumstances that forced us to go five/two last time, to be honest that is never ideal and leaves you feeling a bit uncomfortable as a coach as it entails a lot of risk," he explained.

"Hynes is fit and available for this game so it made sense to select him and return to the traditional split."

Deans said his side would have to make a huge step up from their performance at Eden Park in they are to compete with the world champions on Saturday.

"We were probably not close to where we need to be (in Auckland)," he said.

"There's a number of elements that we took out of that game where didn't help ourselves. But it is continuity so I guess we get the opportunity to address those shortcomings - and they'll have to be addressed or we won't even be as close as we were, and that's the reality."

Inside centre Berrick Barnes added that the Springboks physicality had not gone unnoticed.

"We know what's coming," he said.

"It was pretty evident from their first two Tests that's where they're going to come at us. They've got two imposing centres so we'll have our work cut defensively out there."