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Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones is the latest critic to wade into Robbie Deans' impending shift to Australia, questioning whether he has the passion for the job.
Jones joined the heated debate across the Tasman after the Australian Rugby Union confirmed Deans would be interviewed for the coach's job this week, and a decision could be made as early as Friday.
"There is no doubt they have to try and find the right candidate, the only thing I'd question is does Robbie really want to coach Australia," Jones told the Daily Telegraph.
"You've got to have someone who wants to coach Australia, not coach Australia because he missed out on another job." Deans reportedly confirmed his application for the Wallabies' job on Saturday, the day after missing out to incumbent Graham Henry for the All Blacks' post.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported Deans was telephoned by ARU high performance manager Pat Howard, at the request of ARU chairman Peter McGrath and chief executive John O'Neill, to confirm his interest.
Outspoken former Wallabies lock Peter FitzSimons, a Sydney Morning Herald columnist, said Deans' appointment would be "a black day" for the sport in Australia.
"Us, against our most cherished rivals, hauling up the white flag and saying that, 'yes, you're right, you are the superior rugby nation, so superior that we are reduced to taking your second-best coach and making him our best coach?'," he wrote.
"It is against nature. I want it stopped. You want it stopped. Let's stop it." Jones, who created a stir in Australian rugby circles this year when he took up a coaching assistant's role with eventual world champions South Africa, also hit out at the ARU's selection process.
Five contenders - David Nucifora, Alan Jones, Ewen McKenzie, Laurie Fisher and John Muggleton - have already been interviewed but the overwhelming feeling is that Deans was always the ARU's top choice.
"I feel a bit sorry for the people who have followed the process and now the process has changed, so that puts them in a funny position," Jones said.
McKenzie spoke out on Friday, saying he hoped the interview process hadn't been "a waste of time".
ARU deputy chief executive Matt Carroll responded by insisting it was committed to securing the "best possible candidate" and that McKenzie should "keep his counsel to himself".
But there was support yesterday for Deans, with the Australian newspaper's rugby writer Bret Harris saying the ARU had got it right.
He wrote it was "abundantly clear" that Deans was O'Neill's preferred candidate from the start, and none of the other five candidates could match Deans' coaching record.
"By going after Deans, O'Neill is fulfilling his obligation to Australian rugby. If he was not chasing Deans, he would, quite simply, not be doing his job," Harris wrote.
" ... The NZRU's decision to re-appoint Henry was the greatest Christmas present the Kiwis could have given Australian rugby.
"Instead of being criticised, O'Neill should be congratulated for doing what he believed was in the best interests of Australian rugby."
- NZPA
