Deans, Henry and the art of war
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:22
The art of war: Grahan Henry versus Robbie Deans
It is a match that has divided a nation and carries all the hype of a heavyweight boxing contest, with Robbie Deans in the gold corner confronting Graham Henry in the black.
Saturday's Test between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney doubles as a Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup encounter, but beneath the surface lies a searing test of loyalties and emotions.
Polls by newspapers, websites and talkback shows in New Zealand consistently show huge numbers doing what was once unthinkable in a nation obsessed with supporting the black jersey - they want Australia to win.
Many would prefer to have Robbie 'Dingo' Deans as their coach rather than Henry after the All Blacks started last year's World Cup as favourites but choked in the quarterfinals.
Deans's credentials are well-documented - the former All Black fullback is an icon in his home province Canterbury having coached the Crusaders to five of their record seven Super rugby titles.
But when the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) World Cup autopsy saw him rejected as the new All Blacks coach in favour of retaining Henry, Deans immediately crossed the Tasman to become the Wallabies' first foreign boss.
Now, the 48-year-old must produce a side on Saturday to beat the nation he served and loved for decades, provoking an intense debate in New Zealand on whether people are for Deans or for the All Blacks.
A poll released Wednesday by The Press in Canterbury showed only 52 percent want the All Blacks to win. Former Wallabies great Nick Farr-Jones is amazed at the depth of ill-feeling in New Zealand towards Henry.
"I've never seen anything like that, to the extent that there's quite a few people, in a bar over a beer, will tell you that they death ride the All Blacks which I never thought I'd hear in my day, that New Zealanders could actually death ride their team and hope they lose," Farr-Jones said.
The rival coaches have been diplomatic, refusing to be drawn on the issue that the Test has become a personal battle.
"It gives more edge but from my point of view I have to concentrate on what I have to do," said Henry, who must know that a loss to Deans will intensify calls for his sacking.
"If you start drifting away in things that don't matter in the game and that you can't control you're not doing your job correctly," he added.
To Deans, the match is all that matters.
"There will be a piece of me in there in terms of the contest and wanting the group to thrive, but it's team on team," he said.
Deans honed his coaching skills from the 2,600-year-old 'The Art of War' by Sun Tzu, a book of Chinese origin on military strategy which the Aussie coach rates as "the best coaching manual I have ever read".
Sun Tzu said victory comes from sound defence and taking advantage of your opponents actions - traits evident in the Crusaders' frequent victories from turnover ball and which have appeared as a benchmark of the Wallabies four-from-four wins so far under Deans.
Two months ago, when Crusaders claimed a record seventh Super Rugby title, the players mimicked a popular Australian chant after the final whistle, singing 'Robbie, Robbie, Robbie, Oi, Oi, Oi' in a salute to their former coach.
And while Deans may say there is nothing personal in this match, All Blacks assistant Steve Hansen believes the new-born Aussie will find the first Test against his own country a heart-wrenching occasion.
Hansen coached Wales three times against the All Blacks from 2002 to 2003 and said the first time was hardest when the national anthems were played.
"Obviously you're a New Zealander and it is a time to reflect. So it'll be tough for him, he's not the emotionless fish that everyone thinks that he is."
AFP
