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Robbie Deans says Australian rugby needs Sheffield Shield style comp
By Grey Morris
October 19, 2009 Wallabies coach Robbie Deans wants rugby union in Australia to adopt cricket's tried and true Sheffield Shield competition format.
In Darwin to conduct a coaching clinic and host a junior fundraiser for Territory rugby, Deans said the lack of a strong domestic competition was hurting international results.
"There's no doubt it's a big contributing factor, with the biggest example of what can be done being cricket and the Sheffield Shield," he said.
"It's probably the best domestic competition in the world and they pump out the best players in the world as a result.
"So we need a format of some sort, even if it's an abbreviated format of post-club rugby.
"That will give club players something to aspire to beyond their competitions and a chance to meet and compete with the country's contracted players."
Deans' native New Zealand boasts three divisions of domestic rugby, from which contracted international players are drawn.
"To do something similar here you would need an interstate competition of some sort, even if it was club-based," Deans said.
"So it wouldn't matter where you live in Australia, you would have an opportunity to aspire to a higher level.
"And it would make the contracted players accountable, when now contracts are a bit of a given - blokes know they are contracted for next year before they've even played this year."
Deans and the Wallabies embark on a grand slam tour of the United Kingdom in November when they play England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
On the way, they will play New Zealand in a Bledisloe Cup match in Tokyo.
Australia will have Rocky Elsom (captain) and Berrick Barnes (his deputy) as their leaders, part of Deans' plans to change the leadership group.
"There's been a significant evolution of players, in fact two thirds of the group are effectively in year one of Test rugby," he said.