The more the Australian Rugby Union continues to deny Robbie Deans is the man it wants to be the next Wallabies coach, the closer the New Zealander is to becoming the first foreigner to coach the national side.
The ARU has again rejected claims it has been head-hunting the Canterbury Crusaders coach while putting the main Australian candidates through an exhaustive interview process. Only now, with Deans having missed out on the All Blacks coaching job to Graham Henry last Friday, is the ARU recognising him as a candidate - as an official late entrant.
Yesterday, the ARU announced Deans had been granted a formal interview set for early this week. The ARU received on expression of interest from Deans on Saturday when the ARU's high performance manager, Pat Howard, telephoned him. The call was made at the request of ARU chairman Peter McGrath following a discussion he had about Deans with chief executive John O'Neill and his deputy, Matt Carroll, earlier that day.
However, while the ARU says it wants to exhaust all avenues to find "the best person for the job", there are deep-rooted concerns among many in Australian rugby that the ARU's process has been anything but clear and fair. Many insiders are asking why the process has taken so long with the five shortlisted applicants - Ewen McKenzie, David Nucifora, Alan Jones, Laurie Fisher and John Muggleton - asked to undergo psychological tests as far back as September before their final interviews with the selection panel on November 9.
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