Deans is new Aussie coach

SYDNEY – New Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says he arrives in the job with no “historical baggage” to revive Australian rugby’s declining fortunes.

The 48-year-old New Zealander, appointed on Friday for four years, is the first foreigner to coach the Wallabies, in a decision which has received almost universal acceptance within Australian rugby. One of Deans’s great strengths is that he comes in as John Connolly’s successor from the outside and with an open mind.”I come in without any historical baggage.I believe the (Super 14) franchises here have been under-achieving and that’s a huge opportunity and something I’m keen to turn my hand to,” Deans told his first press conference as Wallabies’ coach here Saturday.”I want my work to be inclusive insofar as getting access to the franchises and franchise personnel to see what we do and vice versa.”Together we will work hard to raise the profile of the game here and hopefully raise the performance.”It’s what you make of what you’ve got and I think there is ample (talent) here to do well.”I see a great opportunity here.There’s a lot of talent.”Deans, the coach of the highly successful Canterbury Crusaders provincial team, said he has no preconceived ideas on how he wants the Wallabies to play their rugby.”We want to go in and look for the opportunity and hopefully get to the point of understanding and executing on the opportunities we’re presented with as opposed to a preconceived and predetermined approach,” he said “My approach will simply be to help the people in the game get to a better place.”I might have some solutions – I won’t have them all – but hopefully we’ll find the solutions that we need.Nampa-AFPOne of Deans’s great strengths is that he comes in as John Connolly’s successor from the outside and with an open mind.”I come in without any historical baggage.I believe the (Super 14) franchises here have been under-achieving and that’s a huge opportunity and something I’m keen to turn my hand to,” Deans told his first press conference as Wallabies’ coach here Saturday.”I want my work to be inclusive insofar as getting access to the franchises and franchise personnel to see what we do and vice versa.”Together we will work hard to raise the profile of the game here and hopefully raise the performance.”It’s what you make of what you’ve got and I think there is ample (talent) here to do well.”I see a great opportunity here.There’s a lot of talent.”Deans, the coach of the highly successful Canterbury Crusaders provincial team, said he has no preconceived ideas on how he wants the Wallabies to play their rugby.”We want to go in and look for the opportunity and hopefully get to the point of understanding and executing on the opportunities we’re presented with as opposed to a preconceived and predetermined approach,” he said “My approach will simply be to help the people in the game get to a better place.”I might have some solutions – I won’t have them all – but hopefully we’ll find the solutions that we need.Nampa-AFP