SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE:AUSTRALIA COACH Robbie Deans has signed a new two-year contract and will remain in charge of the Wallabies until the end of the 2013 international season.
There has been speculation for a number of months that Deans, who is in the final year of a four-year deal, would be offered fresh terms after the Australian Rugby Union board instructed chief executive John O’Neill to open negotiations with the former Crusaders boss.
The deal has now been finalised, ensuring Deans will have no distractions heading into the World Cup, where Australia will be among Ireland’s group opponents.
“A large number of players have re-committed to Australian Rugby this year, I’m pleased to be joining them,” Deans said. “My priority remains, as it has always been, the preparations both for the final Tri-Nations Series Test against the All Blacks in Brisbane, and then for the Rugby World Cup that follows in New Zealand.”
The announcement ends any hope the All Blacks had of poaching the New Zealander back across the Tasman Sea following the World Cup. Deans was overlooked for the New Zealand job before moving to Australia and it was understood the New Zealand Rugby Union were keen to bring him back home if the All Blacks were to fail again at the tournament. But O’Neill was never going to let that happen.
“There is no doubt Robbie has earmarked and brought through a new generation of Wallabies stars and we have certainly not stood still over the three and a half years he has been in charge of the national team,” O’Neill said. Deans will name his final 30-man squad for the World Cup tomorrow.
Meanwhile, World Cup-winning captain John Smit will drop to the bench in one of five changes announced in South Africa’s team yesterday for the Tri-Nations clash with New Zealand this weekend.
The out-of-form Smit is to be replaced at hooker by Sharks team mate Bismarck du Plessis who has produced some sparkling performances recently.
Lock Victor Matfield will captain the Springboks in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, their final match before they take on Wales at the World Cup in New Zealand on September 11th.
Coach Peter de Villiers said the decision to relegate Smit, who started the last three Tri-Nations games, had been planned in advance. “John is ready for the World Cup . . . but we need to keep Bismarck on his toes too. They need to compete with each other.” De Villiers said. “It would be unfair not to give Bismarck a fair chance and we planned this a long time ago, back in May.”
Gurthro Steenkamp, who was South Africa’s player of the year in 2010 but has had an injury-disrupted 2011, starts at loosehead prop instead of Tendai Mtawarira.
Sharks loose forward Willem Alberts also makes his first test start ahead of Danie Rossouw. Pat Lambie replaces the injured Francois Steyn at fullback while Morne Steyn is preferred at outhalf to 2007 World Cup winner Butch James.
The All Blacks have sent a weakened squad to South Africa that does not include outhalf Dan Carter, captain Richie McCaw, number eight Kieran Read, lock Brad Thorn, prop Owen Franks, fullback Mils Muliaina and centre Conrad Smith.
SOUTH AFRICA(v All Blacks): Lambie; Pietersen, Fourie, De Villiers, Habana; Steyn, du Preez; Steenkamp, B du Plessis, J du Plessis; Botha, Matfield; H Brussouw, Alberts, Spies. Replacements: Mtawarira, Smit, Van der Linde, D Rossouw, Johnson, Hougaard, James.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)