Deans told us how to stop McCaw

Deans told us how to stop McCaw - Baxter
By RICHARD KNOWLER - Fairfax Media | Friday, 12 September 2008
Deans told us how to stop McCaw - Baxter - Rugby news & coverage - Stuff.co.nz

Robbie Deans has fed his troops the good oil on Richie McCaw's weaknesses as he plots ways to limit the All Black skipper's breakdown prowess.

Wallabies tighthead prop Al Baxter said Deans had not held back on disclosing areas of McCaw's game that could be exploited as the Australians look to keep the Bledisloe Cup series alive and win the Tri-Nations at Suncorp Stadium tomorrow night.

"I think he gives good insights into what is effective against him because Richie's played under him for probably close to 100 games," Baxter said. "Robbie would know what has been effective against Richie and what hasn't."

McCaw missed the opening Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney on July 26, a match the Wallabies won 34-19, but created havoc in the return test in Auckland and led the All Blacks to a 39-10 victory.

For four seasons McCaw was one of Deans' closest allies, the captain-coach partnership winning three Super titles for the Crusaders.

Now Deans has been concocting ways to reduce McCaw's influence, especially his uncanny knack to turn over ball, by instructing his players to ensure their body positioning does not give the No 7 any room to grab the post-tackle ball.

"He thrives on getting in there and being a presence at the breakdown. If you take that space away from him, he can't physically get in there to cause the damage he's done," Baxter said.

"A lot of it this weekend is making sure we take that space and get in that space first."

Deans has the big, aggressive Rocky Elsom, who skipped training yesterday because of illness, back at blindside flanker tomorrow night and has listed George Smith at openside.

Using runners to target McCaw and reduce his influence is nothing new, Baxter said.

"Certainly a lot of guys have tried that in the past. Richie is the sort of guy that not only do you have to mark pretty hard, you have to do everything right so you don't give him those little opportunities to cause havoc."