"What they try and do is compete in terms of profile and so you end up with quite a sensational approach," Deans said of Australian rugby yesterday in an appearance to promote his book Red, Black & Gold. "You go from nowhere to somewhere beyond reality. That's another variable you've got to manage": Deans. Credit:Getty Images "It's quite a celebrity-oriented culture anyway. That makes it tough, especially when you come out of a small pool. You go from nowhere to somewhere beyond reality. That's another variable you've got to manage. "You want that vibrancy. The challenge is more so what happens when they're not with you. That's a great point of difference between here and there. There's much more alignment of thinking; practices, habits, accountabilities." That situation Deans confronted during his turbulent tenure with the Wallabies couldn't be more removed from the humble upbringings of Christchurch, where the All Blacks two biggest superstars, Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, ply their trade. Throughout all the fanfare McCaw, Carter and the majority of their colleagues remain committed to the collective cause.

Brian Lochore termed the phrase "better people make better All Blacks" - and the current squad strives to uphold that mantra. Under Steve Hansen, no individual is bigger than the team. "The people around you keep you grounded because there's much better knowledge and awareness," Deans said of New Zealand rugby. "There's not this great unwashed public out there who you can sell a message to." Despite his battles with certain Wallabies, Deans said player power was a misunderstood catchcry - pointing to the success the All Blacks had by empowering a large leadership group. Over the last 11 years, since blowing out in the semi-finals of the 2003 World Cup, the All Blacks stressed the importance of on-field leadership, enabling the players to control their destiny.

"It didn't happen quickly. They thought they were ready to go in 2007 but ultimately they weren't. To win a World Cup you've got to have a captain of substance but he's got to have a support crew. New Zealand have done it very well. You see it routinely, getting home in games late. That's not about directions from the coaches' box. That's those blokes out there." Deans said "without a doubt" the Wallabies were lacking in this area. The former Crusaders mentor also marvelled at the way McCaw continued to defy the norms and consistently raise his game, saying he was "absolutely" the best-ever All Black. "Most importantly with Richie, his point of difference, is you get another two or three per cent from everyone else around him. You're talking about close to another 50 per cent from the team, simply because he's there. He's making an impact not just by what he does but through his influence. "He deserves the title that [Colin] Meads had for so long."

He could understand why Hansen was keeping the faith in Carter to recover from his seemingly constant injury battles. "His experience, his left foot, defence, attack, decision-making ... those are the defining things in those moments. We haven't seen him at the business end of a World Cup. He's bit like Richie. He could take it to another level - his influence on the whole group. That's what great players do. They don't just do their thing; they make team better." Deans also backed the All Blacks to secure their first World Cup crown on foreign soil. "They'll go well. They're very driven. They've got a lot of leadership and they've got an opportunity to do something that's never been done by New Zealand. I'm not a betting man, but I wouldn't be betting against them." Stuff.co.nz