Lions have 'huge advantage': Deans
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has defended a controversial training camp ahead of the British and Irish Lions tour, saying the tourists have a "huge advantage" in the three-Test series.
Deans made no apologies for putting a 25-man squad into an extended three-week camp and making them off limits to their Super Rugby franchises in the build-up to the first Test in Brisbane on the June 22.
While the Wallabies will come together on June 2, the Lions will play three matches together in that time on their tour Down Under.
Deans said he had hoped to have one warm-up match during the camp, like Rod Macqueen's 2001 team who played New Zealand Maori before a 2-1 series win against the Lions.
But it will not happen and he will make do with high-contact opposed sessions in training.
Deans, facing his biggest series as Wallabies coach, rated Australia's preparation as the "shortest in the history of the game for a Lions series".
"You go back to 2001 and the Wallabies had similar time (to prepare) but with a (warm-up) game, so it was obviously a more complete prep, and they got spanked in the first Test," Deans told reporters.
"Rod Macqueen, who spoke with us recently, quite openly conceded that the preparation wasn't adequate, and he's genuinely concerned by what we're confronted with.
"There's no doubt the Lions will have a huge advantage in terms of entering the series."
Macqueen said he spoke to Australia's extended 49-man squad at a logistics camp in January about the intensity and magnitude of the series against the Lions, and underlined the ferocity of the 29-13 opening loss at Brisbane's Gabba in 2001.
The Waratahs, Brumbies, Melbourne Rebels and Reds all wanted to have their star players available for Super Rugby matches on June 7-9.
Comments
melkdave says...
Dont know how he can say the Lions have an advantage in preparation.Yes they are playing matches upto the 1st test.But they are starting from scratch,having to find their best combinations,and gelling as a squad and team.Australia already know their best combinations ,and have a god team sprit,as witnessed by their never say die attitude last year,when they had all those ijuries ..Preparation time id say is very equal,or just in Australias favour..Still should be an exciting tour,and hopefully end with a Lions series win .
Posted 09:46 07th March 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
Yeah right. I'm sure 23 strangers will be a match for an international test team, the nucleus of which have been playing together for at least three seasons. How long are the lions togther? 7 weeks is it? and then you have to factor in that they'll be playing with different combinations and on different days for about 4 of those weeks.
I think its fair to say that Robbie Deans is talking out of his ass.
Posted 09:26 07th March 2013
astrospange says...
Deans is right. The BL have the better players.
Posted 07:10 07th March 2013