Union Purgatory

“If we need any proof that God is a New Zealander,” writes The Australian’s Bret Harris, “it is the hell that Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is going through.” “Deans’ mortal sin was leaving New Zealand where he coached the highly successful Crusaders to join forces with the arch enemy across the Tasman. It is as if Deans has died and gone to hell and his punishment is to endure seeing the Wallabies put themselves in potentially match-winning positions against the All Blacks only to have victory taken away. The All Blacks were in seventh heaven when they came from behind to beat the Wallabies 32–19 in Tokyo. The Wallabies can get their grand slam tour on track with a win against England, but Deans will not be freed from his purgatory until the Wallabies find a way to beat the All Blacks – and they need to do it before the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.”