Alan Jones gives Wallabies coach Robbie Deans his seal of approval
Alan Jones gives Wallabies coach Robbie Deans his seal of approval
By Jon Geddes
November 27, 2008 ONE year after they were jostling for the position of Australia rugby coach, Alan Jones has given his rival Robbie Deans a ringing endorsement for turning around the fortunes of the Wallabies.
And the Grand Slam-winning coach believes the best is still yet to come from this revitalised Australian outfit.
"I think Deans is doing a very good job," Jones said.
The undisputed king of Sydney breakfast radio said the first thing Deans had to do when he took over was to get the players enjoying the game again.
"The legacy of (former coach) Eddie Jones has been very difficult to erode. I don't think the team is anywhere near as good as it will be," Jones said.
"Robbie Deans needs a lot of Tests to get that out of the system - this regimentation and fear of failure and fear of doing the wrong thing.
"I think that is most probably as much he could have achieved in the time he has been there - all you can do is win and they have."
Watch the Wallabies play Wales in Cardiff LIVE on Fox Sports 2 from 130am (EDT) on Sunday 30 November
Jones also said Deans had made a number of significant decisions with the selection of young players like Ben Alexander, Quade Cooper and Luke Burgess. "He is looking after the present and at the same time giving people the kind of experience that will make them infinitely better players down the track. If you can't look after the present none of the blokes will come with you into the future," he said.
He described Deans' comments this week supporting halfback Burgess after his performance against France as outstanding.
"That is the mark of a class person and that is what you do," Jones said.
Jones has not sat back watching the Wallabies this year thinking "what if" he was back at the helm.
"The past is the past. Australian rugby was in a mess and I thought it needed dramatic change," Jones said. "I most probably, because it's me, would have done things a bit differently but I don't have any argument with the way he (Deans) has done it."
Sunday morning's Test with Wales is very timely because it was in the same week 24 years ago Jones masterminded the Wallabies' unforgettable 28-9 Test win over the Welsh at Cardiff Arms Park.
That game featured Australia's famous pushover try which was a defining moment in Australian rugby.
"It was a wonderful thing," Jones said. "It has become part of rugby folklore ... but we had done a lot of work to get to that point."
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