Is there another coach out there who can do a Deans?

BY DUNCAN JOHNSTONE

With Robbie Deans' XXXL shadow no longer hanging over the New Zealand Super 14 effort it's time for another coach to step forward and stamp his mark on the competition.

Deans' dominance could almost be offered as an excuse by his rivals such was the Crusaders coach's incredible record of excellence at this level.

Now there is plenty of pressure on someone else at the helm of a Kiwi team to step up and continue New Zealand's proud tradition of dominating Super rugby.

It's a case of something old and something new when you look around the scenarios.

The old hands are clearly Colin Cooper (Hurricanes) and Ian Foster (Chiefs) who have been long-term operators with their respective franchises and even combined their talents for the Junior All Blacks.

That's a clear signal of the high regard they are held in by their bosses. But now it appears it's time to deliver with their teams in Wellington and Hamilton.

The Hurricanes have never been short of talent but have never managed to match that with silverware. They have usually been there or thereabouts when it comes to the playoffs. But they have always had to watch with eny has the silverware was handed out.

On paper Cooper might just have the most talented New Zealand squad on his hands this season and that will add to the expectations on his shoulders.

The Chiefs, in contrast, are traditional underachievers when it comes to the play-offs.

Each year they seem to suffer early season injuries and slow starts that hamper their chances. By the time they hit their straps in the second half of the campaign they have usually left their run too late despite finding some hot form.

The task for Foster this year is to engineer a campaign that can fire from the opening whistle.

Glenn Moore is the only other head coach to start the season with time in the job - albeit just last year's first-up effort with the Highlanders.

He made a reasonable fist of a difficult task, laying the foundations for what will be a season where there are bigger expectations.

But no one will be putting their money on the Highlanders to take out the title. Their challenge is to be more than just competitive and to get some results on the board that can move them up the points table.

A lot of interest in the deep south will be about the influence of Moore's assistant, Magpies mentor Peter Russell who takes a deserved step up the New Zealand coaching ladder.

The rookie coaches at this level are Todd Blackadder (Crusaders) and Pat Lam (Blues). Despite their freshness to the scene they come into the season with plenty of pressure on them.

They are in charge of the only New Zealand teams to have won the Super rugby title and their lack of experience here will be an excuse that will quickly wear thin if results don't come.

Blackadder has virtually done it all in the red and black environment - played in and captained winning Super teams and had an involvement in the coaching of last year's champion outfit.

Much of that was done with the comforting figure of Deans looming large.

Now Blackadder is the one all eyes will turn to. He has to stamp his own mark on the Crusaders. Deans will never be forgotten but it's the present and the future not the past that counts in professional sport.

Lam is no stranger to Eden Park but he will be acutely aware of the continued frustrations the Blues have had since they last won the title in 2003.

He will also be just as aware of the lack of performance from many Blues teams in the four years preceding that third title.

Having played for Auckland and North Harbour, Lam is well rooted in his surroundings and his Polynesian heritage makes him an ideal man to get the best out of the Blues.

Mind you, this isn't a Blues squad reeking of talent like some of the previous groups. Scratch below the favoured 15 and the lack of depth in certain areas is certainly alarming.

What Blackadder and Lam do have in their favour is a bag of coaching experience when you compare them to someone like Tana Umaga who is stumbling his way through the tough French Top 14 championship.

Blackadder and Lam have done their time. They have worked alongside some very good coaches and tasted success in their own right.

But nothing will match up to what they now face.

In Super rugby terms here it's the post-Deans era. And it's clearly time for someone to pick up the baton.

The standards have been set high. Let's not set our expectations low.

Which New Zealand coach has the most pressure on him? Have your say below.

- © Fairfax NZ News