Listen to the Wallabies and they gurgle that Robbie Deans has not been spilling the beans on his old Crusaders players ahead of Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup test.
While Deans knows exactly what makes the likes of Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Greg Somerville, Ali Williams, Brad Thorn and Andy Ellis tick, Rocky Elsom denied the new Wallabies coach has been giving his new charges the inside oil on their weak points ahead of Saturday night's test.
"To be honest, he doesn't go into that too much. Probably less than we have had with the past two coaches in going into the opposition's game," Wallabies blindside flanker Elsom said.
"We are just trying to focus on what we are doing and get our confidence through that. It is probably a trait he does have, not concentrating on the opposition too much."
For his part, Elsom said he has no interest in trying to knock Carter's block off in the test.
While the Springboks tried to unsettle the All Blacks first five- eighths with late and high tackles in their two recent Tri Nations matches in New Zealand, Wallabies blindside flanker Elsom believes it is a folly to chase Carter around the park in a bid to intimidate him.
"I don't know if you get too much pay out of that," Elsom said. "Unless they leave the field, they just get back up and do the same thing."
While in charge of the Crusaders, Deans wanted his teams to concede six penalties or less.
That view will not have changed since switching to the Wallabies, especially inside their own 40m where Carter can be deadly with his goal kicking.
Elsom added that the Springboks' rushing defence, which often allowed Butch James to charge up and chop down Carter's time before late tackling him, was a risky tactic.
"What you are saying about rushing out of the line, I think that is a dead-set gamble and the South Africans like to do it.
"That's not really our go, because it's not the way we defend. We don't want to give him time and space, that's a given, but as far as calling that tactics it is probably a bit too late for us to do that and I think we get a bit more pay out of doing what we are doing."
The Wallabies had a light run at Coogee Oval, the home of the Randwick club and the ground where the All Blacks played the "Galloping Greens" during their 1988 tour.
Lock Dan Vickerman, who played a club match last weekend in his comeback from a lengthy injury break, trained and will be considered for the test at ANZ Stadium.
interesting, would have thought he would spill everything he knows about these players to the wannabies.
www.rugbyheaven.co.nz
wonder who john mitchell would go for, by this article i reckon aussies, but deep down, i think he would like to see an all black victory, as he did captain their midweek team and play numerous tests for them, spent the mojority of his life their, and coach the all blacks.
http://allblacks.com/index.cfm?layout=displayNews&newsArticle=8389
