Eddie Jones-Robbie Deans coaching rivalry set to open new chapter in Japan
A coaching duel spanning more than 20 years provides its latest chapter in Tokyo when the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights tackle Suntory Sungoliath in Japan rugby's inaugural League One final.
Sungoliath director of rugby Eddie Jones and Wild Knights coach Robbie Deans have directly or indirectly plotted against each other since the final of Super Rugby in 2000.
Deans got one over Jones then, guiding the Crusaders to an epic 20-19 win against the Brumbies.
The title was the first of five Deans won with the Super Rugby heavyweight, four more than Jones, whose sole success was achieved in 2001.
This was largely due to his elevation to coach the Wallabies later that year, where he guided Australia to victory in the Tri-Nations at his first attempt.
Deans joined John Mitchell's All Blacks staff as coaching coordinator in 2002.
The pair reclaimed the Bledisloe Cup for New Zealand after a five-year absence in 2003, as well as winning back-to-back Tri Nations, but Jones had the last laugh as his Wallabies knocked the All Blacks out of the 2003 World Cup in a pulsating semi-final.
Both men achieved similar records coaching Australia, each winning a Tri-Nations, and each finishing with winning records over 50 per cent.
Jones has achieved significant success since with Japan and England but his links with Suntory remain while continuing to hold the coaching reins at Twickenham.
Deans joined the Wild Knights in 2014, allowing the rivalry to resume.
It's appropriate that the influential coaching pair should clash again on Sunday afternoon, in the title match of Japan's new streamlined domestic club competition.
The Wild Knights, who beat Sungoliath in last year's final, are currently on a 31-game unbeaten streak.
But injury has left Deans without Japan's influential starting test five-eighth Rikiya Matsuda.
England test lock George Kruis has overcome injury to play, after missing last week's semi-final.
His return means Australian forward Esei Ha'angana misses out, although the Wild Knights' backbone of lock Jack Cornelsen, loose forward Ben Gunter, centre Dylan Riley, winger Marika Koroibete and reserve back Semisi Tupou were all either Australian born, or schooled.
Suntory will look to their main man, former Wallaby vice-captain Samu Kerevi, along with All Blacks utility Damian McKenzie, to provide the spark.
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Skelton may be brought back for the Wallabies so that would be the only reason that may hinder Wilson. Easily the form, most skilful and game IQ of any Oz 8. Valentini’s best and favourite position is 6, but lineouts may be an issue with Skelton, Valentini and Wilson. Will be interesting what Schmidt goes for but for me Wilson should be picked on form. Schmidt rewards work rate, skill and consistency. All that glitters every so often won’t be in contention. Greely is one of those players that has a knack of making the right decision. A coach is going to love him because he knows week in week out he’s going to get the job done. The second try Greely wasn’t the guy who made the initial break it was Flook, Greely was at the bottom of the ruck when Flook was off along the sideline. Greely got up and made the effort to catch up with play but also read the play nicely and hit the pass from Campbell at pace and then held the pass beautifully to Ryan.
Go to commentsSharks deserved to be far further back by the last quarter. Their tackling was awful, their set pieces were disappointing, their defensive organization was poor (especially on the Kok side of the D line), they kept making unnecessary errors, and they never looked like cracking the Clermont defense during those first 60m. Masuku kept them in touch, with some help from the Clermont generosity on penalty opportunities. Agree with the writer of this article. It was belligerence, and ability to raise their pressure game just enough, that turned the last quarter into a Bok-style shutout. Clermont have a reputation of not playing the full 80m, and there was a bit of that for sure. But, quite often when the intensity of a team drops off in the last quarter credit is due to the opponent for tiring them out. At 60m, with the Kok try, you thought that just maybe the game was on. At 70m, with the Mapimpi contribution, one felt that Clermont were fading, while facing a team that would maintain the pressure game through the final whistle. Good win in the end, but the Sharks are still playing way below their potential. And with their resources, and a coach that has had enough time to figure things out, they are running out of excuses.
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