Wallabies head coach Robbie Deans praises Samoan team after his sides shock defeat - Rugby
Following his sides shocking 32 – 23 defeat at the hands of the visiting Samoan squad, Wallabies head coach, Robbie Deans, has admitted his side was beaten by a better team. Dean was talking to reporters at the end of the game on Sunday, July 17.
Wallabies were playing their first international of the 2011 season against the visiting Samoan international rugby union side at Australia Stadium, Sydney on Sunday, July 17. The Samoan side, currently ranked 10 in the International Rugby Board (IRB) World
Rankings, has defeated the IRB’s second ranked team by a convincing margin.
The win will definitely improve their world ranking besides adding a tremendous boost for their 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign.
Deans defended his decision to rest several of his first choices players ahead of their 2011 Tri Nations opening encounter against the Reds. Earlier, Deans handed over test caps to four debutants, which include winger Rod Davies, scrum half Nick Phipps,
flanker Beau Robinson and lock Sitaleki Timani.
Deans praised the Samoan side’s effort in the match. He added, “They're a good combination, it was a globally selected side, it's a World Cup squad, where we're at, we're just stating we knew that. I think the injection late in the game showed what we could
have done but it was too late.”
Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom has expressed his disappointment on the results of the match. In their previous outing at the same venue six years ago, Wallabies handed over a thumping 74 – 7 defeat to the visiting Samoan side.
Elsom has termed the poor attack as the main reason for the defeat. He added, “They (Samoan’s) put on good shots and they deserved to win but we weren't effective enough in attack.” Elsom added that before next Saturday’s crunch Tri Nations opener against
the Springboks, they need to put in lots of hard work and improve their game.
Deans on the other hand has expressed his confidence that with the return of several key players, which include the players from the 2011 Super Rugby winners Reds, will strengthen his side.
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