Former Wallabies coach Robbie Deans tips tight series with England

Former Wallabies coach Robbie Deans believes Eddie Jones will need all his magic tricks to guide England to another series victory over Australia this winter.

Australian Jones boasts an eight-from-eight record over the Wallabies since taking charge of England following their disastrous home Rugby World Cup campaign in 2015. The ex-Wallabies mentor tormented Michael Cheika for seven of those wins before masterminding a 32-15 rout over Dave Rennie’s side at Twickenham last November.

Deans, though, has been encouraged by the improvement of Australia’s Super Rugby sides and also the Wallabies under Rennie and cannot see another 3-0 sweep to England like six years ago when Australia hosts another three-Test series in July.

“You can only take so much punishment, particularly if you’re a proud sporting nation like Australia,” said Deans, two days after guiding Saitama Wild Knights to a fifth Japanese Top League title with an 18-12 win over Suntory Sungoliath, where Jones is director of rugby.

“They were always going to respond and they exposed a lot of young players through Super [Rugby]. It’s just that time in the saddle and no Australian sportsman is going to stay down for long.

“They’re on the incline and the international program will benefit from that. They’ll have more depth, more competition, more ability to ride out injuries and form. And they’ve got the ultimate incentive now – two World Cups ahead of them [in 2023 in France and 2027 in Australia].”

Asked if Jones would have any tricks up his sleeve, Deans said: “I hope so – he’ll need them. Yeah, they’ll be a challenge. No doubt about it. Eddie will be looking at it and expecting to win. It won’t be straightforward.”

The Wallabies will be boosted by the return of the