Deans cool in final approach

2008-05-26 09:41

Christchurch - Next Monday, clad in his Wallaby garb, Robbie Deans will reveal his genuine verdict about the Waratahs when he unveils his first green-and-gold Test squad.

Until then, Deans's judgment on his Super 14 final foes will remain within the Crusaders' complex as he plots how to unhinge a Waratahs' side which will eventually supply him with about half his Wallaby Test squad.

It is an absorbing subplot to this year's international programme which, much to the irritation of senior New Zealand officials, will burble on until the All Blacks and Wallabies have played their final November 1 Test in Hong Kong.

Deans has tried to fend off talk about the emotional challenges he will face this week as his nine seasons in charge of the Crusaders reaches a conclusion in his home city on Saturday against the Waratahs.

The day after the final, Deans will discover who has made the opening 26-strong All Black squad before on Monday, he flies to Sydney to announce the Wallaby squad for the start of his four-year coaching term. If that hectic switch of allegiance was distracting, Deans was not about to admit it.

Deans applauded the fact that he and the Crusaders had made it into the last week of the tournament.

"It's just great to have this opportunity but it's just another week essentially. I'm not sure why you say it's a huge week," he said.

The Crusaders surged into their seventh final under Deans's command with an emphatic 33-22 victory against the Hurricanes while the Waratahs had a similarly decisive 28-13 semi-final win against the Sharks in Sydney.

After that triumph, Waratahs' skipper Phil Waugh dismissed suggestions his side would be wound up in trying to impress their potential new boss.

"I don't think anyone gives two hoots to be honest," he said to rival Deans's deadpan delivery.

The eventual scoreline at Christchurch gave little clue about the Crusaders' superiority. However, it did underline the tenacity of the Hurricanes though as they were forced to defend inside their 22m for more than half an hour of the opening semi-final.

The Crusaders dominated possession, their tactical kicking exerted enormous pressure, they were patient and they had Daniel Carter who did not miss a kick. They were leading 33-8 with about 10 minutes left when they conceded a couple of soft tries.

After the Crusaders' victory, attention switched across the Tasman where the Waratahs played with a forward ferocity which guaranteed them a rematch of the 2005 final.

"We need to be a bit more disciplined in our methods of play, we got a bit loose in the second half," outgoing coach Ewen McKenzie said. "We had good intensity and aggression, we got stuck into them."

The Waratahs will get their number one hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau back from the injured list for the final but the Crusaders have lost their ace hooker, Corey Flynn, for three months after he broke his right arm.

Referee Mark Lawrence will fly from South Africa to control the final with the interest focusing on whether the match will be a sellout after only 18 000 turned out for the semi-final.

Deans's farewell, combined with the departure of Reuben Thorne, the suspected exits of several others and a confrontational final between the two most consistent sides, should draw a capacity 26 000 to the park.

It is also the last chance for fringe All Blacks such as Casey Laulala, Stephen Brett, Andrew Ellis, Mose Tuiali'i, Kieran Read, Wyatt Crockett, and Ben Franks to underline or erase their international claims.

Every forward in the Waratahs pack is pushing for Wallaby selection while Lote Tuqiri and scrumhalf Luke Burgess are the main claimants in the backline.

Despite the protests of Deans and the All Black selectors, detailed results of the match-ups will be filed in their coaching dossiers to be re-examined when the Bledisloe Cup series starts in Sydney on July 26.

- SAPA