Deans to avoid Wallaby rotation

Despite the risk of player burnout from a gruelling schedule of 14 Tests this year, Australia coach Robbie Deans has ruled out a rotation policy for the Wallabies.

Despite the risk of player burnout from a gruelling schedule of 14 Tests this year, Australia coach Robbie Deans has ruled out a rotation policy for the Wallabies.

Australia's heavy fixture list continues on June 28 in the first match of a two-test series against France in Sydney.

They follow the series against the French by playing New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations before November's five-match northern hemisphere tour.

Deans has no set plans to rest players, despite concerns about the physical and mental toll on players following the Super 14 competition.

“There will not be rotation as such,” the New Zealander told AAP.

“There will be catering to our needs because we are not going to be looking ahead and putting less emphasis on what is immediately in front of us.

“We want to thrive in every instance.”

For Australia, currently fourth on the IRB rankings, to thrive against the top nations they need to continue to find improvement in the forwards.

The blame for Australia's quarter-final exit at last year's World Cup was largely blamed on the failure of the Wallabies' pack to match England.

Those concerns hardly faded following the 18-12 win over Ireland in Melbourne last weekend, with the Munster-powered forwards regularly disrupting Australia at the breakdown as the match wore on.

Deans called for patience with his forwards.

“Without a doubt, nothing really worthwhile happens overnight and it will take some time,” he said.

“But some blokes will be given an opportunity and it is for them to make the most of that, so we do thrive.”

The former Crusaders coach felt he had plenty of talent to work with in the forwards.

“There is a fair bit of experience now and a lot of discussion around the front row and we have an experienced group there. Al Baxter is our most capped prop and Matt Dunning is right up there in terms of numbers played,” he said.

“That experience is invaluable and then you look behind them (Dan) Vickerman will return at some point, we have (Nathan) Sharpey, we have got Mark Chisholm who has got 36-Test caps and we have Dean Mumm coming on.

“And loose forwards we are not too bad. Experience is valuable.

“I am not concerned about what has been, I am more concerned about what is coming.”