Deans - "We guts-ed it out!"
August 24, 2008 - 4:58pm
Story by: ARU
Qantas Wallabies Head Coach Robbie Deans was full of praise for his players after he masterminded Australia’s first win in South Africa in eight years on Saturday, a commanding 27-15 victory in Durban.
The superb victory sets up a Tri-Nations “Grand Final” between the Men of Gold and the All Blacks on September 13 in Brisbane regardless of the result of next Saturday’s second clash with the Boks in Johannesburg, although after the win in Durban the Wallabies could be optimistic of making it two out of two this weekend.
"You've got to be happy with that," said an understandably elated Deans at the post match Press Conference. "The performance was by no means error-free, but it was never going to be with South Africa in such a desperate position.
"But the intensity was there, the boys got up and did what had to be done, the hard way. They guts-ed it out, it was not straightforward, and I'm very happy with the composure."
To put Deans achievement in stark perspective he managed to win in South Africa at his first attempt, a mountain his two predecessors John Connolly and Eddie Jones could not climb in their whole tenures. And an achievement the great Rod Macqueen managed just once.
Deans pointed to the Wallabies commitment to match the Boks renowned physicality as the cornerstone of the victory.
"The boys got up and met the physicality of the Springboks, they did huge work and it was a good effort," he said.
Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock, one of numerous Wallabies candidates for Man of the Match, scored a magnificent solo try to snuff out a possible Bok comeback midway through the second half.
Mortlock was the only player in the squad to have ever won a Test match in South Africa before, coincidentally in Durban in 2000, and he could not hide his relief, and joy (!), at finally breaking the South African hoodoo.
"I've been here many times and we have fallen short” he said, “and I am very impressed with this group's performance, especially because it is some of the guys' first times in South Africa.”
"Today, all 22 guys showed spirit and determination and played their hearts out."
The one dark cloud for the Wallabies was the injury toll as both inside centre Berrick Barnes and lock Dan Vickerman left the field with shoulder injuries during the match and were unlikely to play in the return fixture in Johannesburg.
Vickermann’s injury led to the Herculean performance of Dean Mumm, who played over half of the match when he wasn’t originally even named on the bench. Mumm only came on to the bench on the morning of the game after the originally listed reserve, Hugh McMeniman, was ruled out with a virus overnight.
Lock James Horwill also left the field after a heavy head clash late in the game. To add to the unavailability issues flanker Rocky Elsom, who himself had only just returned from injury, was also to face the judiciary today after being cited for pulling Victor Matfield down in the line out.
"We've done a couple of shoulders, Berrick Barnes and Dan Vickerman, and that's likely to impact on next week," Deans said.
"They're unlikely to be available and we'll definitely contemplate bringing someone over."
This could possibly lead to a hasty recall for Western Force veteran Nathan Sharpe.
