The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) has quelled a potential row over new Wallabies coach Robbie Deans' plan to use Super 14 rugby coaches as national selectors.
Former Wallaby Pat Howard, general manager of the ARU's high performance unit, today insisted Deans wouldn't be in direct contact with any Super 14 coaches until he saw out his contract with the Crusaders in May.
"My role is to communicate with the state coaches and be a go-between. Robbie won't be in communication with them -- they are competitors," Howard said.
Brumbies coach Laurie Fisher reacted strongly this week, saying he was unwilling to offer information on his players to Deans while he was coaching the Crusaders.
"Until he has finished with the Crusaders, he is the opposition," Fisher told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"I certainly won't be discussing the relative strengths and weaknesses of my players until he has finished up with the Crusaders in the Super 14. You are talking about two sides here who could be in the Super 14 final."
Howard admitted he was taken aback by Deans' comments about selection plans in an interview, and he contacted Deans and Fisher to clarify the ARU's stance.
"Robbie took us by surprise, and once we explained it to Laurie he was quite happy," Howard said.
"I don't think that would be healthy for anybody, a coach commenting on another bloke's players.
"I'm the go-between as general manager, just to facilitate squads and give feedback to Robbie when he has time to accommodate that."
Howard admitted it was a "unique situation", with Deans being cleared by both the ARU and New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to coach the Crusaders for one final year before taking over the Wallabies' reins immediately.
He would have some input into an initial Wallabies squad chosen during the Super 14, before Deans names his first test side to play Ireland in Melbourne on June 14.
"I'll communicate with Robbie occasionally. He's got a job to do (with the Crusaders) and I want him to do it," Howard said.
"We will communicate with the state coaches, gather ideas and bring together 30-40 man rugby squads to keep a medical check on them, that sort of thing."
Deans said this week it made sense to utilise the Super 14 coaches as his eyes and ears in Australia.
"The key is to involve them in selection genuinely, and in the preparation as we go around in those (provincial) areas.
"It's exciting. No one person owns all the ideas, nor all the understanding."
Howard meanwhile wouldn't comment on reports that former Wallabies loose forward Jim Williams and former Australia A fullback Richard Graham, both coaching in Europe, were earmarked as Deans' likely assistants.