Profile
Australia Profile
Colours: Green and Gold
Nicknames: Wallabies
Major honours: World Cup winners (1991, 1999); Tri-Nations champions (2000, 2001).
Coach: Australia's shock early exit from the 2007 World Cup called for desperate measures and lead to the appointment of the Wallabies' first foreign coach. As the most successful coach in the history of the Super Rugby, no one can argue with the credentials of former All Blacks full-back and assistant coach Robbie Deans. With five Super Rugby titles under his belt at the Crusaders, Deans has developed an acute sense for playing attacking rugby and a taste for winning. The Wallabies development under Deans has been clear for all, especially amongst the pack. His laid-back approach has struck a cord with his players as he emphasises quality, not quantity, in his approach to off-field management. Despite a modest return of six wins, a draw and seven losses from 14 Tests in '09, Deans has every reason to feel optimistic about the final two years of his reign.
Captain: Flanker Rocky Elsom took over the captaincy from Stirling Mortlock for the Wallabies' season-ending Grand Slam tour in 2009. Elsom signed a two-year deal with the Australian Rugby Union after returning from a season in Ireland, where he was lauded for his key role in Leinster's road to the Heineken Cup. The 26-year-old had been tipped by Australian media as the front-runner to lead the Wallabies to the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.
Players to watch: Classy 21-year-old scrum-half Will Genia and flank David Pocock may well soon be the world's premier players in their respective positions with another 20-odd Tests under their belts by 2011, while 25-year-old loosehead prop Benn Robinson already is. Throw in the likes of outstanding teenage utility James O'Connor, plus Digby Ioane and Quade Cooper - who proved a revelation as an untried centre pairing in the absence of Stirling Mortlock and Berrick Barnes - and Australia looks blessed with backline talent.
Profile: With two World Cups under their belt Australia can lay claim to the title of one most decorated rugby-nations in the world.
What makes Australia's success so notable is the fact that Rugby Union is considered to be the nation's fourth sport behind Cricket, Australian Rules and Rugby League. The fact that there are only 33,000 adult males playing the game in Australia (England has 160,000) is testament to what good organisation and consistent selection can achieve.
The seeds of the Wallabies success were sown after a slump in fortunes in the early 1970's triggered an in-depth survey of the Australian rugby union's past, present and future which resulted in a re-appraisal of coaching techniques and a restructuring of the entire administration.
Since that time the Australians have gone from strength to strength, investing heavily into the game and extending the appeal of the sport by pushing for the creation of the World Cup and the Tri-Nation tournament.
The growing success of the game and the exploits of its superstars like Mark Ella, David Campase and John Eales meant that the Wallabies bounced into the nation's imagination.
Recent years have been somewhat less successful. The Wallabies have not won the Tri-Nations since 2001, lost the World Cup final at home to England in 2003 and bounced out again in the quarter-finals to the same outfit in 2007.
Fast forward two years and a first defeat to lowly Scotland in 27 years, four more losses to New Zealand - making it a sorry seven straight - last place in the Tri-Nations, three wins from their past 11 Tests and no Australian franchise in the Super 14 finals summed up 2009.
Yet the Wallabies remain among the favourites to hoist the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Go figure.
The current crop of players are arguably the best generation to pull on the gold jersey in years and under Deans' guidance it will surely not be long before the trophy cabinet starts to fill up again.
