Richard Loe: Signs appearing that Deans is moulding his team

Most people looking ahead to the first All Black tests next week and the Tri Nations series will be picking Robbie Deans' Wallabies to come last behind the All Blacks and the Springboks. I don't know so much.

Deans has made some interesting selections and the thing that strikes me most is that he is really moulding a team; his team.

He had a reasonable season last year - finishing second in the Tri Nations and beating the All Blacks memorably in one test before losing memorably to them as well.

I know some people say the honeymoon period is over, this is the year he has to produce and there is no doubt it is a real challenge.

But I can see familiar signs of the way Robbie Deans operates and that can only be good for the Wallabies as they build up to the Tri Nations.

It's a young squad - some would say too much so. He's got rid of Matt Dunning and Lote Tuqiri; and Phil Waugh is on the outer. He's lost those who thought they had a right to be there or were bigger than the game - and he is selecting, hungry young players who want to do the business.

That's Robbie's way. It took him a couple of season to really produce the goods with the Crusaders and it might take a couple of seasons for the Wallabies too but I believe he is building a strong base for them.

I thought it was interesting what former All Black lock Chris Jack said after catching up with Deans and the Wallabies ahead of last night's match with the Barbarians.

Jack said the influence of his former Crusaders coach was unmistakable from when he faced Australia in 2007.

"He's just toughened them up. He put a lot more expectation on their defence and a lot more pressure on their performance," Jack said. "They seemed a lot prouder. I'm not saying they weren't proud before but he put pressure on them to perform and to be proud of their performances."

That's what Deans does. Some coaches tell their players what to do and stamp a game plan on their brains. That's when you see players thinking 'what do I do now' when something goes wrong.

Deans teaches them how to think; how to play what is in front of them. Some people call it empowerment but I think that's just a fancy word for enabling players to think. He gets into their heads and makes them understand the basics and why they need to do certain things.

That's a big turn-on for players. It adds to their confidence and understanding - and enjoyment of the game ... and the coach ends up with players who are growing in competence and confidence and who then have enormous reserves when it comes to winning.

He's also built a much better front row; their scrum is much improved. They have a good second row, plus George Smith and two hungry youngsters in the loose. They've always had good backs.

Look at the Lions - they have a management team of seven or eight. But when you think of the Wallabies' coaching staff, you just think Robbie Deans; all the other roles are minor.

Look at the All Blacks - you can't say they're favourites for the title this year. If we keep getting broken players, we'll be in trouble because we still don't really have the depth.

Look at the Springboks - they will be favourites after the Bulls' Super 14 win and they will be battle-hardened after the Lions. But their coach Peter de Villiers has yet to prove himself on the international stage and he has critics who are prepared to say that he is more of a liability than an asset.

Time will tell, but this season is shaping up as a fascinating one for all three Southern Hemisphere coaches and teams.

Last night's match against the Barbarians was also fascinating but it will not figure greatly in assessments of the Wallabies' season, when all is said and done. But it was the first step in what I think is a key season for Robbie to build an Australian team a la Deans.