The Wallabies have credited the coaching smarts of Robbie Deans for implementing a vault-like defensive system which they hope will prove the cornerstone of a triumphant Tri Nations campaign.

Although the Wallabies have piled on 19 tries in four internationals so far this winter, despite the attack yet to even hit top gear, steely defence has been the bedrock of the side's early-season success.

Under former rugby league international John Muggleton, the Wallabies were respected as arguably the premier defensive side in world rugby for the best part of a decade.

Deans, though, completely dismantled Muggleton's system when he took charge last year, preferring a more instinctive approach based on bodies in motion, and the Wallabies agree it is starting to pay dividends.

"I'm not privy to what was happening before. It doesn't really concern me. There's numerous ways of going about it," Deans, always his own man, said on Sunday.

"It's just a matter of keeping yourself alive and keeping yourself active.

"The critical thing is the collective understanding - or collective will first and foremost because, if you don't have a will and a want to defend, it just doesn't happen.

"After that, a collective understanding and the ability to work together.

"So it's something we've trained a lot and we will continue to train a lot because you never arrive. Your opposition are constantly observing and scheming and trying to find ways of breaking you down.

"But it is, for us, very much a matter of keeping yourself alive, keeping yourself active, keeping yourself aware and tying in with your mates.

"It's nothing more complex than that."

Centre Berrick Barnes, a pivotal figure in the new defensive structure, says the Deans way is a breath of fresh air.

"We've become so programmed in our rugby in probably the last 10 years or so - everything was a programmed response and now under Robbie we're playing what's in front of us, not only in attack but trying to do that in defence and it's certainly helping," Barnes said.

"Playing to what they're showing you, you don't actually have to have a set routine. You've just got to match them.

"There's no great science to it. It's just simple. It's using your eyes and using what's in front of you."

Barnes admits the system did initially take some getting used to.

"Obviously boys at the start probably questioned it a bit," he said.

"They were going `oh, is this going to work?' and now everyone's starting to trust it.

"That trust has been there since obviously the end of last year and coming into this year.

"His philosophies are a lot different to even John Muggleton's and it's starting to pay off.

"We're starting to grasp it more and more each week and it's starting to show in our performances; we've only let in a couple of tries.

"That's got to continue if we're to go where we want to go in this Tri Nations."

Deans even predicts the improved defence will also lead to improved attack for the Wallabies.

"As our confidence and our belief in our defence improves, we will just settle a bit more and we'll start to turn some of that (attacking) pressure that we're building into points," he said.

"Mainly because we'll be prepared to ask a little bit more for a little bit longer."

"We were close to finishing more but the good thing is we're pulling on the reins."

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