Deans and Wallabies Must Ignore Media Scorn

If we were to believe some quarters, Australian rugby is perched on a ledge, staring into an abyss.  In fact, the denizens of such an unholy place have been hovering around Australian rugby for some time now, and again are now penning its demise.

Who are these wretched beasts, the individuals who cannot stand by the Wallabies “through thick or thin, through the good times and the bad time?”

They are local media.

Surely the Australian press has now overtaken the English as the most vicious rugby scribes to compose their tomes regarding their Wallabies.

Just weeks ago, moments after Australia put away arguably an England third XV, the same inconsistent commentators were murmuring that a Grand Slam was achievable. 

The lack of perspective is surprising, considering that Australian rugby is in a rebuilding phase that could be classed as the most nascent of all of the test nations.  While Robbie Deans may have been at the helm for nearly two years, many are taking for granted the fact that the turnover of players still continues.

Could any side lose Stirling Mortlock and not suffer?  While David Pocock may have overtaken George Smith in the pecking order, it is still a change in a crucial position that has been consistent for a century of test matches.

The youngest side in test rugby is still coming to grips with the mentality required to compete, and above all win, international matches. 

In this, one wonders if Deans has in fact made the correct decision in his recycling of players.  The first name that comes to mind is Phil Waugh.  Whether or not these players still have the quality, or are fitting to Dean’s vision, is almost a moot point.

Clearly the young and undeveloped Wallabies need some experience on the park.

But Deans is also struggling to implement not only a specific strategy with his team, but is still clearly coming to terms with the fact that, when compared with other tier-one nations, Australia probably has the least efficient rugby nursery in the sport's world.

The former Canterbury mentor does not have a Christ’s College, Ellesmere College, or Christchurch Boys High that churns out rugby players who quickly adapted to first class football for the Crusaders.

It would be easy to say that the game at grassroots level is suffering due to the lack of success at the highest level, but it is more of a case of the Wallabies suffering due to the overall lack of development in the schools and local parks.

Australian football, rugby league and cricket scouts rove these sporting kindergartens constantly. Can Wallaby or Super 14 talent teams make the same claim?

But despite all of this, the word "perspective" must again come to mind. As must the feelings of expectation. 

The Wallabies have been in a state of flux for so long now that one must ask if the potential, or opportunity, to actually consistently compete on the world stage exists in the long term.

Yes, Australia has won two World Cups, but since 2000 (which even allows for the last 13 matches under Rod McQueen) Australia has won just 73 of its matches—less than 60 percent.  Twenty-one of these wins were against teams ranked outside the top seven or eight in the world. 

Almost mockingly, seven of those victories were against Scotland.

Is it too harsh to heap too much belief on a team that has to compete with the two strongest rugby superpowers in history—the All Blacks and Springboks—every year?  Or is it with great irony that this could be the reason why the Wallabies should be expected to perform?

It is a core psychological aspect of life that we often focus on the bad times, especially when the good equals the bad. Fourteen wins from 27 games under Deans gives credence to this notion.

Australia has still inflicted one of the five heaviest defeats ever on the All Blacks in this time, beaten France four games straight, and beaten the reigning world champions three times.  They also, only two matches ago, almost downed the reigning Six Nations Grand Slam champions.

Holding probably one of the strongest Irish teams ever to a draw is yet another notable achievement.

But is this enough to offset a current seven match losing streak against New Zealand, their biggest ever test defeat (to South Africa in Johannesburg), and now a loss to Scotland?

For all the criticism directed towards the Wallabies, they did everything in Murrayfield except win and score points, and came up against the best Scottish performance in years.  A belligerent, sheer bloody-minded Scotland team that former Captain David Sole said summed up everything the Thistles are about.

Australia is living in a world in which other nations are far stronger than it in the rugby pecking order. 

At this time, Australia needs support and some patience, before the weight of expectation and criticism unhinges any positives there are to be taken.