OPINION: Ewen McKenzie, 50 per cent. Michael Cheika, 52 per cent. Robbie Deans 59 per cent. Those are the winning percentages of the past three Wallabies coaches.

Average scores against the All Blacks? 26-17 under Deans. 34-23 under McKenzie (with no wins) and 33-15 under Cheika. Perhaps now, three years after he was sacked, an ounce of sense can be restored to the debate surrounding Deans' qualities as a coach, a debate that descended into lunacy in Australia during his last two years in charge. But those close to Deans in Australia, such as ex Wallaby and Fairfax columnist Peter FitzSimons, had always insisted time would judge Deans in a kinder light. They are being proven correct.

There were valid reasons, lest we forget, for Deans to be let go. He had been in charge of the Wallabies for six years and with that length of tenure comes the possibility of fatigue - not from the coach himself, but certainly among the rugby Australian community. Issues with Deans' communication skills with some Wallabies players weren't made up from thin air - they existed. And the series loss against the British and Irish Lions in 2013 was always going to test the patience of the Australian Rugby Union

But do not buy into the theory that Deans was punted because of that loss to the British and Irish Lions.

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The chronology of events is important here. Deans' card was marked before that 41-13 capitulation in the third and deciding Sydney test. In the hours after that match at ANZ Stadium, I was told by an ARU official 'to keep Tuesday free'. As it turns out, that was the day McKenzie was unveiled as his successor. But things were moving behind the scenes far earlier than that. At the turn of 2013 there were those in Queensland whispering in Quade Cooper's ear to sign a new contract with the ARU because Deans would get the chop. Welcome to the world of Australian rugby politics.

What really hurt Deans was a sustained period of criticism after the 2011 World Cup. Some of it was justified, some of it was not. The discussion reached a nadir when it was suggested by former Wallaby Greg Martin that he was a trojan horse sent from New Zealand to wreck Australian rugby, but while that is too laughably ridiculous to take seriously, there were plenty of other theories that were given far too much credence.

Primary among them was the argument that Cooper would rescue Australian rugby if only Deans would get out of the way and let him express himself. That was level of debate and thanks to the echo chamber of the internet, it became lodged in many people's minds.

Never mind that the Super Rugby franchises and the Wallabies weren't even on the same page.

Events after his departure have told their own story. Deans moved to Japan to coach Panasonic Wild Knights, where he has won three titles on the trot. But Japanese rugby is rubbish isn't it? Well, ask the All Blacks sevens team or the Springboks about that.

Will Deans ever coach at test level again? It's the All Blacks job he covets of course, but unless the current regime implodes he has more chance of flying to the moon in his jet boat. However, there might be a few northern nations post-2019 who look at his profile - experienced, technically strong, excellent career win rate - and wonder if he could do a turnaround job in the manner that Eddie Jones has.

"If ever a biography was required to lift the lid and present the real picture of an identity, then this is it," wrote David Pocock in a foreword to Deans' biography. Pocock, the standout Wallaby given his start by Deans, got it about right.