Deans agrees to extend Aussie contract

RUGBY: AUSTRALIA:Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill has revealed Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has agreed terms on a new two-year deal, with formal confirmation expected within a fortnight.

O’Neill stated the New Zealand-born coach will recommit to Australian rugby until the end of 2013 in the coming days. “It’s all on track, we haven’t got a signed contract yet but we will get these two Test matches (Samoa and South Africa) out of the way – they’re back to back so he’s busy and I’m busy,” O’Neill said.

While the decision to reappointment Deans before the World Cup will be the subject of much debate, O’Neill is adamant the five-Test All Black is still the best man for the job. “I’m very relaxed about it and very happy to have certainty and I like the idea of no distractions,” he said.

O’Neill believes Australia are timing their run to perfection just two months out from the code’s showpiece event. “I’m very excited, I think we are turning momentum into reality,” he said, citing in particular the Reds’ Super 15 title success at the weekend, against a Richie McCaw-led Crusaders, who also included Dan Carter.

NEW ZEALAND:New Zealand coach Graham Henry is planning to rest his "overdone" players during the Tri-Nations series to avoid fatigue at the World Cup.

New Zealand face Fiji on July 22nd before competing in the Tri-Nations against Australia and South Africa with the last of their four matches on August 27th, less than a fortnight before the start of the World Cup they are hosting.

Henry said only effective management of the players’ workload could keep alive the All Blacks’ hopes of repeating their 1987 World Cup triumph on home soil.

“I think a lot of them are overdone at the moment,” Henry said. “Take (Super Rugby finalists) the Crusaders, for example. They have been all over the world and have been playing on a lot of emotion. They can’t maintain that level of intensity for the next three months.”

REFEREEING: South Africa's Jonathan Kaplan will take charge of Ireland's Test match against France at the Aviva Stadium on August 20th.

Kaplan was officiating in this year’s Six Nations match in the Millennium Stadium when Wales took an illegal lineout which led to Mike Phillips scoring a try. Ireland lost 19-13 with captain Brian O’Driscoll later saying Kaplan’s decision was “unforgivable.”

Wayne Barnes is the referee for Ireland first match against Scotland in Murrayfield on August 6th with Kiwi Steve Walsh coming in for the Test against France in Bordeaux a week later. Walsh was suspended for four months in 2005 during the Lions tour of New Zealand for verbally abusing Irish winger Shane Horgan after a disputed decision and he officiated at the first international rugby match at Croke Park in 2007.

Nigel Owens is the referee for the final Test against England on August 27th in Dublin.

LEICESTERhave confirmed the signing of England centre Mathew Tait. The 25-year-old, who has been capped 38 times, was released by Sale earlier this year following an injury-hit spell in the north west.