Deans: 'Wallabies eye No.1 spot'
Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:39
Eyeing No.1: Robbie Deans and George Smith
The Wallabies will be using Saturday's much-anticipated Tri-Nations/Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand as a springboard to becoming the top nation in world rugby, coach Robbie Deans said Friday.
There is a belief in the Australian camp that, after four undefeated matches under the Wallabies' first foreign coach, they can prevail in their biggest challenge so far against their trans-Tasman rivals.
If the Wallabies were to register back-to-back Bledisloe Cup wins over the All Blacks in Sydney and Auckland over the next nine days, they would go to the top of the International Rugby Board (IRB) rankings for the first time in the system's five-year history.
Deans, who coached New Zealand's Crusaders to five of their record seven Super Rugby titles, will be seeking to undo the man who got the job he had initially wanted, All Blacks coach Graham Henry.
After wins over Ireland, France (twice) and world champions South Africa this year, the Wallabies are aiming to return to the top of world rugby after their quarterfinal exit to England at last year's World Cup in Marseille.
"I don't think they're daunted," Deans told reporters.
"They're up against one of the best, if not the best, rugby sides in the world. They're aware of that, but that also excites them and that's a challenge that they're looking forward to," he said.
"They're getting a great opportunity on the weekend to stake a claim to that sort of respect."
Australia has invariably played second-fiddle to New Zealand - the All Blacks have held the trans-Tasman Bledisloe Cup since 2003 and the Tri-Nations from 2005, and have won nine of their last 12 encounters.
Henry has an impressive 87 percent success rate in 53 Tests since taking over the All Blacks in 2004, including winning seven of his nine Tests against Australia.
But the Wallabies are encouraged that they have sunk the All Blacks five times in eight matches at Sydney's Olympic stadium, including their shock 22-10 semifinal ambush at the 2003 World Cup.
Deans said he hopes he will cope with the churning emotions when he hears the haka and the New Zealand national anthem for the first time from an opposing viewpoint.
"It will be a great occasion. I'll feel emotion, there's no doubt," he said.
"Hopefully, the occasion will be such that there is an electricity in the air and that's fantastic - I'm looking forward to that."
Deans, who has an intimate tactical knowledge of most of the All Blacks playing this weekend, said he was firmly focused on plotting a Wallabies' victory over his homeland.
"It's no different to any other side, to that end," he said.
The battle of flyhalves, Australia's Matt Giteau and New Zealand's Dan Carter, will be hugely influential to the outcome.
"They're not magicians, they're close to it but they've got to work within the parameters of the game and the opportunities that their teammates present them with," Deans said.
"They're both so able that they will have the ability and the wherewithal and the awareness to take what's on offer."
Asked if he could use his inside knowledge to stop Carter, he said: "You have ideas, we'll see how they run."
AFP
