John Plumtree on Robbie Deans

[fatprop]

Wallabies move an 'eye-opener' for Deans
September 02, 2010 - 2:04pm
Story by: AAP

John Plumtree is backing Robbie Deans

A former colleague says there's no doubt Robbie Deans' move from the Crusaders' winning culture to an indifferent chapter in Australian Rugby has been a "big eye-opener" for the Qantas Wallabies coach.

But Sharks Investec Bank Super 14 mentor John Plumtree, who worked with Deans in the All Blacks set-up from 2001-02, has backed him to close the gap on New Zealand and South Africa in time for next year's Rugby World Cup.

Plumtree, who caught up with Deans during the Wallabies' training camp near Durban on Tuesday, said his ultra-competitive mate was relishing the challenge of turning Australia into contenders.

"He sees everything as a challenge and I guess going from a winning culture to what he's had to endure now has been, even for him, a big eye-opener," Plumtree told AAP.

"He'll know that the goal is that World Cup.

"I guess if you'd say Robbie was struggling, imagine if a mere mortal was there, he wouldn't have won one game.

"Obviously the job's huge and Australia doesn't have the player base like we've got in New Zealand or South Africa so the depth is not there.

"He'll be doing the best he can, that's for sure, knowing the bloke."

Australia currently sit last on the Bundaberg Red Tri-Nations table but have a game in hand over the second-placed Springboks, who ran them down to win 44-31 last weekend.

They face South Africa for the second time in a week at altitude in Bloemfontein on Saturday (0100 Sunday AEST) and follow that tough assignment with their final Tri-Nations outing against the rested All Blacks in Sydney.

The prospect of a second straight one-from-six Tri-Nations may be real, but New Zealand-born Plumtree said Australia could bridge the gap with their southern hemisphere rivals by the time the Rugby World Cup begins next September.

"I guess the toughest thing for them has been the fact they haven't been able to play their full strength side with the amount of injuries that they've had," Plumtree said.

"They lose a fair bit of grunt up front without their No.1 tighthead (Ben Alexander) and also without (hooker Tatafu) Polota-Nau, he's a big player for them, our guys have got a lot of respect for him.

"The Australians have been pretty competitive but without being full strength, which has got to be a positive.

"You get James Horwill back, (Peter) Hynes (and) all of a sudden you're going to get that little bit of depth and the bench becomes a lot stronger.

"It's going to be important to Australia's challenge that they do get those players back fit."

Plumtree, whose Sharks are currently running first in South Africa's provincial competition the Currie Cup, said the Wallabies were capable of breaking their 47-year highveldhoodoo at Vodacom Park.

"You look at the way they played (in Pretoria), they didn't tire by the looks and that's probably been an issue in the past playing on the highveld," he said.

"You probably have to give a fair bit of credit to the conditioning, they were right in it until the end."

 

[PaarlBok]

Plumtree forgot to mention the Bokke also missing a few. Flippen Guppie verraaier!

 

[fatprop]

Plumtree forgot to mention the Bokke also missing a few. Flippen Guppie verraaier!

true, but you guys have a shed load more depth than us and we are missing half our pack (where we can least provide decent back up)

 

[PaarlBok]

true, but you guys have a shed load more depth than us and we are missing half our pack (where we can least provide decent back up)

Fourie du Preez and Heinrich Brussouw is unreplaceable.

 

[Gnostic]

Th fact that we are seeing these people coming out in support of Deans is a good indicator that the pressure is building. It is also note worthy that Greg Martin who quite firmly said in email reply that Deans was the only candidate for the Wallabies job and he was doing a great job to boot was reportedly critical of him on the Rugby Club.

I think Deans will survive as head coach but he will be told that the set will change. Graham is gone automatically as an assistant with him staking the head job at the Force (sorry Force but you are in for a world of hurt next year), and I think Williams will be gone.

I have found a few times in business that if a person if head hunted for a job and they are held up as a saviour and not held to normal accountability/results they do not get enough critical review and therefore do not see areas where they have to improve. They then get caught like the deer in the headlights when it turns to shit and those who previously supported them turn and attack.

Deans hasn't had the critical review and hasn't been questioned in any real meaningful way by our Rugby media and this allowed the ARU to not put any pressure on as well. What I am saying, so there aren't any misunderstandings is that the Robbie can do no wrong or he is a great coach and must know better than anybody else etc etc arguments that have been used to placate many have done him no favours in the long run. If Deans had been called on his very poor bench use, poor selection (which isn't all his fault Nucifora, Williams and Graham are also to blame there) and mystifying tactics he would have had to improve in those areas. Now that he is getting called on those things it may well be too late for his assistants and he may well find his freedom with the team seriously curtailed if the ARU chooses his new assistants without any input from him. Would Deans stay under those circumstances?

 

[Langthorne]

Plumtree has fallen into the same trap as many others:

If you first assume as fact that Deans is the best possible coach, then when things go tits up (over a 3 year period) more and more new theories have to be developed to maintain that assumption.

Try this exercise:

1.Pretend you don't know who the Wallabies coach is.
2.Look at the results and performances.
3.Compare them to any other period in the last 30 years.


If the ARU do want to get rid of him, replacing his support staff without consulting him would likely do the trick. I don't think that would be fair - either support him in every possible way, or sack him.

 

[Blue]

Mates are supposed to back mates.

 

[rsea]

Nice to see someone giving the guy some support. I nearly threw the lounge at the TV the other night listening to that Jeremy Paul idiot dribble on about replacing Robbie. For me his comments typified the general attitude of those wanting to remove him.

 

[Reddy!]

The reality is, like him or hate him, it's in our best interests to keep him as coach until 2011 World Cup. Just gotta stick with it unfortunately.

 

[fatprop]

Plumtree has fallen into the same trap as many others:

If you first assume as fact that Deans is the best possible coach, then when things go tits up (over a 3 year period) more and more new theories have to be developed to maintain that assumption.

But I reckon that assumption isn't correct, it hasn't gone tits up, it just hasn't improved like we all wish it would.

We are roughly the third best side in the world and don't have the cattle to compete with the top two if we get any injuries.

 

[I like to watch]

Nice to see someone giving the guy some support. I nearly threw the lounge at the TV the other night listening to that Jeremy Paul idiot dribble on about replacing Robbie. For me his comments typified the general attitude of those wanting to remove him.

The way JP went on & on, it is clear there is a personal issue there.
His argument was only Deans must go. He had no back up plan.
JP should be told to pull his head in.

 

[disco]

Fourie du Preez and Heinrich Brussouw is unreplaceable.

Add Bismarc Du Plessis also.

Nice to see someone giving the guy some support. I nearly threw the lounge at the TV the other night listening to that Jeremy Paul idiot dribble on about replacing Robbie. For me his comments typified the general attitude of those wanting to remove him.

Jeremey Paul is a goose I think most people on the board agree, I think Graham & Williams should be given the flick though.

It would be crazy to sack Deans now but the other two can be replaced but by who is the big question?

 

[Lindommer]

...Graham & Williams should be given the flick though. It would be crazy to sack Deans now but the other two can be replaced but by whom is the big question.

Todd Louden and Michael Foley. And bring back John Muggleton to tighten up the defence.

 

[jason]

Speaking of new coaches - http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,,27648949-23217,00.html Larkham as backs coach? Sounds good to me.

 

[Langthorne]

But I reckon that assumption isn't correct, it hasn't gone tits up, it just hasn't improved like we all wish it would.

We are roughly the third best side in the world and don't have the cattle to compete with the top two if we get any injuries.

I guess "tits up" is a bit subjective. How about this correction "...and when the Wallabies fail to beat the ABs in what, 8? attempts, and have their lowest overall wins ratio under any coach in the last 30 years...". No assumptions there.

The words "hasn't improved" do reflect the situation, but they leave the possibility of 'stayed about the same' when in reality 'gone backwards' would be more appropriate.

Roughly the third best side in the world, with the occasional loss to Scotland, or England (at home) - really smacked those Fijians good and proper though.

 

[Gnostic]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/pigheaded-and-proud-of-it/story-e6frg7o6-1225914019434

This pearl of wisdom (or shit) depending on your point of view. All know where I stand.