Wallabies to run with new rulings: Deans

Continuity of phases was a cornerstone of the last great era of Australian rugby,
and with the help of new rule interpretations at the breakdown it can be again.
That's the view of Wallabies coach Robbie Deans who, after some initial hesitance,
has been won over to the change in emphasis by referees given the much improved
spectacle of running rugby seen so far in the Super 14 competition.
The national side's doldrums of recent years coincided with breakdown rule
interpretations which saw more turnovers of possession than when the Wallabies under
coach Rod Macqueen dominated the game and won the 1999 World Cup, the masters of
continuous phase play.
"There's no doubt the early rounds in Super rugby have been good to watch, a lot
easier to watch and if you look historically at Super rugby the first three rounds
are normally a little bit ugly," Deans said.
"That's mainly because teams are conservative and if there has been any tampering
with the interpretation or rules, it manifests itself in a way that teams are a
little bit afraid of the unknown.
"But this year every side has been playing constructively and it's had a good impact
on the game."
Continuous phase play has occasionally been derided as "rugby league style", but
Deans saw it as an encouragement to teams to keep possession rather than kicking it
away as was so often the case in 2009.
"With the (changed) emphasis they've created a lot more continuity - the ability to
attack has been reinforced - so teams are a lot more encouraged and positive about
having a go rather than being afraid of turning over possession and being burned,"
Deans said.
"That emphasis has helped the game significantly, and the ability to attack has been
improved, teams are taking advantage of that, and we'll certainly hope to be doing
that when we gather together as a group with the Wallabies."
The early form of the Australian sides in the Super 14 has been mixed with the
Brumbies in seventh, the only side in the top half of the ladder.
But Deans pointed towards the draw having most sides start away from home as cause
for cautious optimism.
"It's only a start, the Brumbies are well positioned, they've won two out of three
away from home and they come back to seven out of 10 home fixtures, so they're
well-placed," Deans said.
"The Waratahs have played some good rugby, didn't get the results they wanted but
they've shown that they've been more than competitive.
"The Reds belted the Crusaders and the Crusaders will be there at the business end
I'm picking, so it shows the Reds are perfectly capable of that as well.
"And the Force are getting their list together so I'm sure we'll see some outcomes
from them shortly too."