Deans wants his youthful Australians to mature quickly

Published on Friday 4 September 2009 22:37

AUSTRALIA's latest generation of young players have been warned they are running out of time to make their mark on the international game.

The Wallabies have lost all four of their Tri-Nations tests this year but have been spared savage criticism because of their relative inexperience.

Coach Robbie Deans has a long-term goal of building a team for the 2011 World Cup and, while he remains confident his plans are on track, the New Zealander said players had to start performing now.

"Clearly we've got a young group but we live in the moment," Deans said ahead of today's match against South Africa at Brisbane's Lang Park.

"There's no point thinking about down the track. Clearly we're a side that has a lot of promise, that has a lot of potential. But these blokes will be strapping their boots on and aiming up.

"They're not going out there to come second, they're going out there to represent their people in the best way possible."

Australia's openside flanker Rocky Elsom, one of the most experienced players in the team, agreed with his coach.

"We do have a young average age in the squad but everyone has to produce the same thing," Elsom said. "Just because our guys are younger doesn't mean they don't have to carry a bigger load. And that's what we're pushing, for everyone that's out there to do what they need to do for us to win."

While the odds are heavily stacked in South Africa's favour, Deans said he believed his young charges were ready to pull off an upset.

The world champion Springboks have won all four of their Tri-Nations matches but have not beaten the Australians in Brisbane since 1971 and were thrashed 49-0 on their last visit in 2006.

"They're a team at the peak of their game, they're brimming with confidence, with good reasons, but it's a great opportunity for us," Deans said.

"We've got to earn that right. In test rugby it doesn't get given to you."

South Africa are bracing themselves for an Australian ambush when they revisit the scene of one of their most humiliating defeats.

The Springboks, unbeaten in this year's Tri-Nations, are overwhelming favourites to beat the Australians and wrap up the title but the memory of a humiliating 49-0 loss at Lang Park in 2006 has ensured they are taking nothing for granted.

"If we lose concentration, or if we get soft in the last 20 (minutes) and don't finish things off, we know we can lose and that's an important factor," said the Springboks captain John Smit.