Wallabies boss Deans still riled by Croker slip

HE may have made assertions to the contrary, but Robbie Deans, cutting somewhat of a bitter figure at times yesterday, is still smarting from Australia’s late slip against Ireland last November.

Deans, never the most effervescent of characters, kept his answers and observations on Ireland short and very much to the point.

Asked whether the 20-20 draw – when Brian O’Driscoll pounced for a late try at Croke Park – still left a bad taste, the Wallabies coach gave a tetchy response: “No it didn’t, no. Obviously it hurt. It felt like a loss.”

Deans made two injury-enforced changes to his starting XV for the Suncorp Stadium showdown, with Adam Ashley-Cooper replacing injured winger Digby Ioane (shoulder), while in-form half-back Luke Burgess returned at No. 9 in place of Will Genia, who broke his hand in the defeat to England.

“He’s a good man to have around,” Deans said of experienced Ashley-Cooper. “He can play anywhere from 12 out. Most of his recent rugby has been on the wing, he finished his Super 14 rugby on the wing so we’ve got continuity there but I’m sure it won’t be the last position we’ll see him in this year.”

Deans expressed little surprise at the selection of Jonathan Sexton ahead of Ronan O’Gara in the Irish cockpit.

“We probably anticipated that. He’s a younger player but he’s pretty experienced both at franchise and international level,” said the Kiwi and former All Black. “He’s got a pretty complete game. With Ronan you get a little bit more predictability around his game than possibly with Jonathan so it suggests they will be very positive with the ball.”