Deans impressed by young guns

[laura]

Deans impressed by young guns
December 04, 2008 - 3:11pm
Story by: AAP

Coach Robbie Deans believes the Wallabies victory at Wembley early Thursday morning (AEDT) over the Barbarians was a priceless learning experience for his depleted Wallabies - led by youngsters James O'Connor, Quade Cooper and Tatafu Polota-Nau.

The Young Guns upstaged a World XV-strength Barbarians outfit full of All Blacks and Springboks stars.

"It bodes well for the future," Deans said.

"These experiences are good for us. We're obviously losing a couple of players and you can't get away from that, but you can't get that growth without getting some pain along the way either."

In the absence of Test regulars Stirling Mortlock, Matt Giteau, Nathan Sharpe and Stephen Moore, Deans' emerging stars - and as ever captain George Smith - were awesome, denying the likes of Richie McCaw, Jerry Collins, John Smit and Schalk Burger victory in a bruising and, at times, spiteful encounter.

Deans reserved special praise for O'Connor, who, in his first start for the Wallabies, coped brilliantly with Bryan Habana, Joe Rokocoko and Shane Williams, as well as nailing three goals from as many attempts.

"He was fantastic," Deans said.

"When you look at some of the players that he was up against and you consider he's 18 years old and he's playing against three of the best wingers in the world - and three of the best wingers in the world that we've seen for a decade - that's pretty intimidating stuff.

"But you got an insight into some of his gifts, his footwork, and the ability to step up and kick three goals was great."

Before the match, which marked 100 years since Australia won the rugby gold medal at the 1908 London Olympics, Smith had the honour of introducing Princess Anne to his Wallabies teammates.


http://rugby.com.au/news/wallabies_2.../section/21893

Robyn: check out the picture on the website.

[GIGS20]

Agreed, with the one proviso that the entire Baa Baas gameplan was hamstrung by the fact that their flyhalf played almost as well as a lump of warmed plasticene.

[zimeric]

i nearly snorted my coffee through my nose...........
nice description of Steyn Gigs!

[MI5_Dog]

Agreed, with the one proviso that the entire Baa Baas gameplan was hamstrung by the fact that their flyhalf played almost as well as a lump of warmed plasticene.

rubbish!
Warm plasticine is at least impressionable.

[mudskipper]

Warm plasticine also doesn't drop kick very well...

[JediKnight]

I wonder if anyone explained the philosophy & ethos of the Barbarians to Steyn before he went on the pitch? 50m drop-goal attempts are definitely not part of the play-book.

[travelling_gerry]

http://www.goldcoast.com.au:80/artic...ast-sport.html

Brutal baptism for new boy O'ConnorDavid Lewis

December 5th, 2008

BAPTISMS of fire don't come much more brutal than the Wallabies' Wembley war against the Barbarians yesterday.

But Paradise Point 18-year-old James O'Connor wasn't complaining after kicking eight points in his first full game for his country as Robbie Deans' warriors survived a battering from a star-laden Baabaas to win 18-11 in front of nearly 50,000.

Though one late lapse -- a misplaced kick under pressure -- led to the Barbarians' sole try in the 61st minute, the unprepossessing O'Connor showed he could breathe at the same altitude as rugby's elite on a night of high intensity hits, fisticuffs and serious injures.

After four Super 14 appearances, an eight-minute cameo in the win over Italy last month and 65 minutes on the hallowed Wembley turf, the Paradise Point prodigy etched his name into Deans' mind.

Never one to toot his own trumpet, the Western Force utility, who looked secure and safe in an unfamiliar fullback role, said afterwards: "I'm just stoked to have played in such company (the Barbarians included four All Blacks) and to have done OK.

"We had to defend desperately at times and hopefully I played my part in that.

"I'd like to have been able to have got a bit more space and time to be involved in some of the build-up play but it just wasn't that sort of game.

"I've now got my full debut out of the way and I'm delighted. Playing against Italy was great too and this has topped off the tour for me because it's a privilege to play in such a good side."

O'Connor, the second youngest player to pull on the venerated yellow jumper, admitted to being a bag of nerves in the build-up to a match that marked the centenary of Australia striking rugby gold at the 1908 London Olympics.

"I didn't sleep well and my mind was racing," he added.

"The game was everything I expected it to be.

"It was fast and fierce and although it's a friendly international on paper, it didn't feel too friendly out there."

It was the night of the rookie, with Deans tossing in O'Connor, 20-year-old Quade Cooper and uncapped lock Peter Kimlin for the rested trio of Stirling Mortlock, Matt Giteau and Nathan Sharpe.

It was also a night of spite with both Matt Dunning (snapped achilles) and Sekope Kepu (torn pectoral muscle) hurt in the same scrum.

"It was pretty physical out there but you always expect that," added O'Connor, who will return home this weekend for a short break before rejoining the Force for the build-up to the new Super 14 season.

O'Connor, showing cast-iron nerves, added the extras after Australia's first try to winger Lote Tuqiri in the 12th minute. He kicked three more points in the 18th minute after the Baabaas were penalised for hands in the ruck, and made it 13-0 four minutes later after an infringement from All Blacks hard man Jerry Collins.

Two Steven Montgomery penalties reduced the deficit, and then Collins struck -- combining with Welsh wing Shane Williams -- after O'Connor's line of vision was impaired as he retrieved the ball from the in-goal area, resulting in a mis-cued kick. Montgomery missed the conversion.

O'Connor showed there is steel behind his swerves, creative kicks and quick hands with one monster, try-saving tackle on South African Bryan Habana, as he sought to seize on his own chip kick.

A counter-attacking try by Lachie Turner sealed the match with three minutes left.

"My goal is now is to try and build on this experience," said O'Connor.

[jargan83]

I wonder if anyone explained the philosophy & ethos of the Barbarians to Steyn before he went on the pitch? 50m drop-goal attempts are definitely not part of the play-book.

It was probably explained, but seeing as it is the only thing he can do he decided to try and show off and ended up looking like a twit. How many did he try?

[force addict]

he tried 3. all missed

[TOCC]

he tried 3. all missed

Plus all the penalty and conversion kicks he missed
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[Swee_82]

It was probably explained, but seeing as it is the only thing he can do he decided to try and show off and ended up looking like a twit. How many did he try?

Gees.... wonder if Channel 10 need something to fill a programming gap on Sunday afternoon- I wouldn't mind seeing that for myself.

[robyn <3]

That is good. I'm impressed with our young boys too. Great minds *cough* great names *cough* think alike.
GIGS, that is so very funny and so very hopefully true of Steyn. plasticine.. in the shape of a headless chicken? It sounds like he was playing without a brain.

Robyn: check out the picture on the website.

No more Mo! Not that there was much in the first place hehe. WHAT Quade thinks he is doing I have absolutely no idea. Looks like a bit of a fooligan, to be honest!