Tim Horan: Time for Deans to reel in the silverware

Robbie Deans has worked hard to promote the Wallabies' brand off the field. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion

Bledisloe and World Cups would fittingly repay faith in him by the public and the Australian Rugby Union.

In any business or organisation, when a new chief executive or managing director takes over they are usually given 3-4 years to turn things around.

Robbie Deans is now in his fourth season as coach of the Wallabies and as far as supporters are concerned, it is time for him to deliver results.

It's fair to say he is not under pressure for his job from the ARU but there is certainly a huge expectation from the Australian rugby community for the Wallabies to start producing big results and to start seeing the big trophies.

I am a big admirer of Deans. He is the best man for the job, and has done amazing things for Australian rugby at many levels.

His work off the field in community rugby, coaching clinics touring country rugby clubs has been tireless and fantastic for the brand of the Wallabies.

He's re-shaped the Wallabies and while there have been some big losses, there've been some memorable wins as well.

Deans' future is being discussed by the Australian rugby board, and I understand some would like to re-sign him before the World Cup and others after it.

He is the right man to take the Wallabies through the next few years but due process should mean no decisions are made until the World Cup.

After taking over in 2008, Deans has been given plenty of latitude in terms of results as he went about re-building the Wallabies.

The players he turned to were talented kids; James O'Connor was 18, Quade Cooper 19, David Pocock 19 and Kurtley Beale 20 and he has brought them through, with help from Super Rugby coaches. Most now have 30 caps under their belts and are peaking at the right time.

Tomorrow's clash with New Zealand will be crucial so they can carry their current confidence through to the World Cup.

But when you talk about the success of a business you look at the profit/loss columns.

When you talk about the success of a rugby coach, you look at the win/loss column.

It's tough when your side plays in a competition featuring the world's top three sides but Deans' 25 wins/19 loss at a strike-rate of 56 per cent is only average.

So you turn to silverware but that's another area we've lacked in. Fortunately, the opportunity to win the big two - the Bledisloe and World Cups - is now here.

The Wallabies have to win both games this year to win the Bledisloe Cup, and in terms of self-belief and confidence, you'd much prefer to have won that trophy than not, going into the World Cup.

But you also don't want to be going into the World Cup without having won in New Zealand since 2001. Tomorrow provides an opportunity they have to seize.

The 25-year Eden Park hoodoo will mean nothing to the Wallabies' Gen-Y breed. They have so much confidence and self-belief, they wouldn't even care.

The Wallabies made a couple of key breakthroughs last year in beating the Springboks in Bloemfontein and the Kiwis in Hong Kong.

Winning in Auckland tomorrow night takes a far bigger weight. Not only the team, but for the coach as well.