Flogging leaves Deans on borrowed time

Robbie Deans’ future as Wallabies coach could be revealed as early as tomorrow.

The Australian Rugby Union is expected to react to a series defeat to the British and Irish Lions which may end Deans’ tenure before his contract expires at the end of this year.

Never the most demonstrative figure in the aftermath of a test, Deans appeared resigned to his fate after a game which he boldly predicted would showcase the Wallabies ‘‘best performance’’ against the Lions only for his players to be pummelled 41-16 in Sydney on Saturday night.

The first non-Australian appointed as the Wallabies head coach was noncommittal about whether he would be involved in the rebuild required for the Rugby Championship following one of the most embarrassing defeats in a 74-test reign also blighted by losses to Samoa and Scotland.

A third placing at the 2011 World Cup and the failure to regain the Bledisloe Cup he secured as the All Blacks assistant coach in 2003 – objectives when he was signed in 2008 – had been condoned by the ARU and as recently as last week chief executive Bill Pulver said Deans’ future did not hinge on Saturday night’s series decider.

However, contingencies had also been explored, with the Brumbies and Reds confirming they had been sounded out about the possibility of releasing Jake White and Ewen McKenzie to potentially take over as soon as next month’s Rugby Championship.

Pulver and ARU chairman Michael Hawker kept a low profile after the postmatch presentations but the eightmember ARU board, which includes former Wallabies legends John Eales and George Gregan, is understood to have held talks in Sydney.

A narrow loss, similar to the 23-21 series-opening defeat in Brisbane when Kurtley Beale botched a match-winning penalty, might have given Deans more leeway but a four tries-to-one thumping is likely to be seen as unforgivable.

‘‘Those decisions will be made by others . . . you don’t presume anything in this industry,’’ Deans said when asked to ponder his future.

James Horwill, George Smith and James O’Connor were also reluctant to speculate on the likelihood of Deans’ surviving although captain Horwill did describe him as a ‘‘great coach’’.

Halfback Will Genia was also vague on whether the coach who introduced him to test rugby should be persevered with or if change was required.

‘‘I don’t know, I don’t have any opinion on that.

‘‘We’ll just see what happens. I don’t mean that in a negative way or a positive way.’’

McKenzie and White were silent on their prospects yesterday though there