Tug-of-war New Zealand and Australia may compete for services of Robbie Deans

ALL IN THE SCRUM:All in the scrum

IT APPEARS the New Zealand and Australian unions may engage in a trans-Tasman tug-of-war for the services of Robbie Deans following this year’s World Cup. All Blacks head coach Graham Henry is expected to retire, Wayne Smith is likely to move on after the Cup, which suggests the third member of the current coaching axis, Steve Hansen, is shaping as frontrunner for the head coach’s role.

Hansen’s chances of securing the top job might be dependent on how New Zealand fare at the upcoming World Cup. The Australian union is aware Deans is hot property and would love to re-sign him for another two seasons before the World Cup kicks off on September 9th.

The former All Blacks halfback Justin Marshall stated: “New Zealand rugby has to make sure they are in the fight for Robbie because there just isn’t the coaching depth once the current guys finish doing the job.

“New Zealand needs his knowledge back. The fact that Robbie has coached Australia won’t count against him because our current group all coached overseas.”

Deans has won five Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders and has coached the Wallabies in 43 Tests since taking up the job in 2008. Although he has struggled to get consistent results, Australia have improved and loom as a major threat at the World Cup.

Former Wallabies midfielder Tim Horan said it was crucial the ARU re-signed Deans before rugby’s showpiece event. Win or lose, he’s still the man going forward.

“He’s getting a lot out of the players and you’d want him signed for another two years.”

Deans refuses to be drawn suggesting: “I’m just not thinking about that stuff. I have some plans and they are to do well this year, 2011.”

HERE’S LEWSEY, AGAIN

JOSH LEWSEY has followed up his tour de force in the Legends international between Ireland and England for the Stuart Mangan Cup at Donnybrook recently by coming out or retirement and returning to club fare with Wasps. The 34 year old former England international was included last week as an additional player in their Amlin Challenge Cup campaign and started on the bench for the club’s trip to Franklin’s Gardens to take on the Northampton Saints yesterday.

Ireland uber allesUnder-18 side wallop Germany 54-0

HAVING logged onto the German rugby union’s website this column was able to learn an Ireland club team beat Germany 54-0 in an Under 18 international at the SC Berliner ground on Saturday, before a crowd of 500. The Irish side, coached by Greg Lynch and led by Navan flanker Akhlaque Khan, led 30-0 at the interval. An enigmatic translation tool didn’t shed much light on the report other than to glean the visitors were physically superior and very slick .

Ireland Club U-18: David Panter (St Pauls Coll/London Irish-Exiles); Tom Flynn (Epsom Coll/Cobham-Exiles), Conal Doherty (City of Derry-Ulster), Thomas Daly (Carlow-Leinster), Conor Fitzgibbon (Buccaneers-Connacht); Liam Bourke (Navan-Leinster), Finbarr McGowan (Longford-Leinster); Peter Dooley (Birr-Leinster), George Mc Guigan (Gosforth Academy/Newcastle Falcons-Exiles), Ryan Furniss (Worcester Coll/Worcester Warriors-Exiles); Seán O'Brien (Galwegians-Connacht), Ultan Dillane (Tralee-Munster); Conor Joyce (Solihull Sch/Leicester Tigers-Exiles), Akhlaque Khan (Navan-Leinster), Eoghan Masterson (Portlaoise-Leinster). Replacements: Jamie Dever (Westport-Connacht), Josh O'Rourke (DLSP-Leinster), Cillian Walsh (Killarney-Munster), David O'Connell (Old Christians-Munster), Cronan Gleeson (Nenagh-Munster), Eoin Stynes (Carlow-Leinster), Kieran Butler (New Ross-Leinster), Adam Byrne (Naas-Leinster).

Wright off Popular prop will reunite with Cheika at Stade

LEINSTER’S STAN Wright and Niall Morris are to strike out for pastures new next season. The 33-year-old Cook Island prop Wright, a hugely popular figure and one of the province’s best signings, has agreed a two-year deal with Stade Français, where he will link up with former Leinster coach Michael Cheika. His decision to move on means the province will rely on the following roster of front line props for next season: Mike Ross, Cian Healy, Heinke van der Merwe, Jamie Hagan and Jack McGrath, with others like Jack O’Connell and Stewart Maguire set to come through from the academy.

Morris, a 22 year old former underage international with the ability to play wing or fullback, has signed a contract with the Leicester Tigers and will join fellow Irishmen Geordan Murphy, Jeremy Staunton and the former Clongowes fullback Stephen Macauley at the English club.