Robert Maxwell Deans (born 4 September 1959) is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player, currently the head coach of Japanese club
Panasonic Wild Knights. He was head coach of the
Australian national team between 2008 and 2013. Deans had previously coached the
Crusaders
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were ...
for eight seasons and was an assistant coach of
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...
between late 2001 and 2003. As the coach of the Crusaders, Deans has won more
Super rugby
Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Building on various Southern Hem ...
titles than any other (three Super 12 titles and two Super 14). He has also coached
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...
in the
National Provincial Championship, winning the title in 1997. As a player, Deans represented Canterbury, first playing at
fly half, and later
fullback Fullback or Full back may refer to:
Sports
* A position in various kinds of football, including:
** Full-back (association football), in association football (soccer), a defender playing in a wide position
** Fullback (gridiron football), in Americ ...
. He also played nineteen matches for the All Blacks, including five tests.
Playing career
Deans attended
Christ's College, Christchurch as a boarder where he played rugby mainly at first five-eighth.
[Giford (2004), p. 111] He made his provincial debut for Canterbury in 1979 and played mainly at fullback, as the team already had future All Black coach
Wayne Smith playing at first-five. Deans was the first-choice goal-kicker for the team and scored 1,641 points for the union. He was a member of the Canterbury team during the
Ranfurly Shield era of the early 1980s. This included kicking eight of Canterbury's 16 points in its 16–12 challenge win over
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by m ...
in 1982.
In 1983-1984, he played for Grenoble french side club FC Grenoble . The shield reign ended in 1985 against
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...
in "the match of the century" where Deans also played.
This reign is the longest in Canterbury rugby union history.
He went on to represent Canterbury 146 times, with his career ending in 1990.
Deans also played for New Zealand's national rugby team, the
All Blacks
The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 198 ...
. His first game for the All Blacks was against Edinburgh on 26 October 1983. Deans played five tests for the All Blacks, scoring 50 points. He played an additional 14 games for the All Blacks scoring 202 points. His All Black career lasted less than two years, playing his last game against a Mar del Plata selection on 29 October 1985. He did however participate in the controversial
Cavaliers tour of
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...
in 1986. Deans also played
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...
for
Canterbury Country in the
Hawke Cup
The Hawke Cup is a non-first-class cricket competition for New Zealand's district associations. Apart from 1910–11, 1912–13 and 2000–01 the competition has always been on a challenge basis. To win the Hawke Cup, the challengers must beat ...
.
Coaching career
Canterbury and Crusaders
Deans was appointed as coach of the Canterbury team for the 1997
National Provincial Championship (NPC) season. He was assisted by
Steve Hansen (former All Black coach). Deans' first season was a success, with Canterbury beating Auckland for the first time in 14 years, then going on to win the title. The following year he managed the
Canterbury Crusaders (since renamed Crusaders)
Super Rugby
Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Building on various Southern Hem ...
franchise who were coached by Wayne Smith. The Crusaders won the title, beating the
Auckland Blues (since renamed the Blues) in the final at
Eden Park. The Crusaders repeated this feat the following year, with Deans again manager.
In 2000 Deans took over as Crusaders coach after Wayne Smith became All Blacks coach. He coached the Crusaders to their third successive
Super 12 title that year, beating the
Brumbies in
Canberra. He continued to coach the Canterbury team in the NPC in 2000 which led to a Ranfurly Shield win over Waikato; the shield was held until 2003 (totalling 23 challenges). Canterbury's success in the 2000 season saw them host the NPC final at
Jade Stadium against Wellington. A victory would have seen Deans coach teams to Super 12, Ranfurly Shield and NPC titles in the same year; however eventually Wellington won 34–29.
From 2001 Deans concentrated solely on the Crusaders. The 2001 Super 12 season was his least successful in charge – the Crusaders finished tenth. But the following season, the Crusaders went through the entire season undefeated and won their fourth title overall, and their second with Deans as coach. In the following two seasons the Crusaders finished runners-up to the Blues in 2003, and then the Brumbies in 2004. The Crusaders won their third title under Deans in 2005. The Crusaders won their sixth title (the first of the expanded Super 14) in 2006, and their fourth win with Deans in charge, making him the most successful coach in Super Rugby history so far. In 2008, Deans' last season in charge of the Crusaders, he coached them to a seventh super rugby title after they beat the
NSW Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs ( or ;), referred to as the Waratahs, are an Australian professional rugby union team representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super Rugby competition. The Riverina and other southern parts of the stat ...
at Jade Stadium. In honour of the Deans family, Jade Stadium (now AMI Stadium) erected a new stand called the "Deans Stand". Following 22 February earthquake, there remains doubt as to whether AMI Stadium will ever be used again, after some of the ground, including parts of the Deans stand, suffered structural damage. As a result, the new stand was not showcased during the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
John Mitchell appointed Deans as his assistant when he became All Blacks coach in late 2001. Deans held the position until Mitchell was replaced after the
2003 Rugby World Cup. Under Mitchell and Deans, the All Blacks won the 2002 and 2003
Tri-Nations titles, as well as the
Bledisloe Cup in 2003.
Australia
On 14 December 2007, it was announced that Deans had been appointed the new
Australia coach. The contract was for four years – leading into the
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board (IRB) selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South ...
– as Deans became the first ever foreigner to coach Australia. His contract with the Crusaders finished after the 2008 season and the New Zealand Rugby Union agreed to allow Deans to continue as Crusaders coach through the 2008 Super 14 season.
Shortly after the details were made official, Deans released a personal statement on the Crusader's official website:
..The decision to leave Christchurch after the end of the 2008 Crusaders season and coach overseas has undoubtedly been one of the most difficult of my professional sporting career.
While the rugby marketplace has been global ever since rugby went professional 12 years ago, it is probably only now that I truly appreciate the thought process and the 'what ifs?' that so many others have gone through before reaching this point.
To go (off shore) is a big decision. It is not one that is entered into lightly.
..I am ready to coach internationally.
After serving for eleven years as a Super rugby manager and coach here, I feel I can not afford to forgo the position offered to me in Australia.
It is both flattering and humbling that the Australian Rugby Union has afforded me this opportunity.
While it will no doubt be an interesting position to be in, coaching against New Zealand; it is not without precedent, and will add to my personal development as a coach – as it has done for others before me.
I always aspired to leave the Crusaders in good shape when the time came.
I believe I will be doing that.
Not only do we have a good level of depth among our player base, there are some quality people in place around the team, and some highly promising coaches coming through.
Their time is coming. It would not have been right to delay their potential development by hanging on for too long.
I'm proud of my association with Canterbury rugby, the Crusaders, Christchurch and the wider Crusaders franchise community.
..Although the move to Australia opens a new chapter in our lives, it's not a case of closing the book here.
Our thoughts will always be with Canterbury and the Crusaders.
..
Robbie Deans
Deans started well as coach of Australia by winning his first five tests, including the largest win over the
All Blacks
The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 198 ...
by the
Wallabies in nine years. He ended his debut year of 2008 with mixed results. Australia under Deans lost the following three tests against the All Blacks, coached by arch-rival
Graham Henry
Sir Graham William Henry (born 8 June 1946) is a New Zealand rugby union coach, and former head coach of the country's national team, the All Blacks. Nicknamed 'Ted', he led New Zealand to win the 2011 World Cup.
Henry played rugby union for ...
, but secured home and away wins over reigning the Rugby World Cup champion
Springboks – Australia's win in South Africa was its first there in eight years. The Wallabies lost the third match to the Springboks by a record 53–8 score. There were also narrow wins over limited opposition in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
and against a weakened Irish team.
In 2010 Deans also became the first Wallabies coach to win on the South African highveldt in 47 years after the team won 41–39 in Bloemfontein, thanks to a penalty goal from
Kurtley Beale with no time left. While coaching the Wallabies in 2011 they had a mixed year - losing to Samoa before another loss to the All Blacks in Auckland, and defeating South Africa both home and away. In the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Australia suffered a surprise loss to Ireland in pool play, finishing second in their pool and going on to defeat South Africa 11-9 before another loss to the All Blacks (20-6) in the semi final.
In the final two seasons of Deans' time as the coach of Australia, he became unpopular with the Australian media and public and was referred to as "Dingo" Deans, although the nickname had actually originated in New Zealand after Deans was recruited to leave his native country to coach Australia.
[
Dissatisfaction amongst players and supporters with the conservative game plan employed by the Wallabies during and after the World Cup, a win rate hovering around 60%, and a poor 3–15 record against the All Blacks led to Deans came under increasing pressure to keep his coaching position.][
] According to rugby writer Gregor Paul, there was also "widespread frustration at Deans' refusal to make peace with Quade Cooper and welcome him back into the set-up after proving himself the best first-five in Australia during Super Rugby" in 2013.[
Following the Wallabies 2–1 series defeat to the British & Irish Lions on their ]2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment ...
tour and a record 41–16 defeat in the decider,[ Deans handed his resignation into the ARU thus ending his role as head coach of the Wallabies.][ During his six-year tenure, Deans coached the Wallabies on 74 occasions, winning 43 times, losing 29 and drawing twice.][ He won just three times against their main rivals, the All Blacks, and drew once in 2012. He holds a good record against the Springboks, 9 wins from 14, and led the Wallabies to a Tri Nations championship in 2011 and to 3rd place in the ]2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board (IRB) selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South ...
.
Panasonic Wild Knights
On 21 April 2014, Deans was announced as the Panasonic Wild Knights new head coach, succeeding Norifumi Nakajima.
Barbarians
On 23 June 2017 it was announced that Deans is to coach the Barbarians FC for their match against New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...
at Twickenham
Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the borou ...
on 4 November 2017
Notable family members
His brother, Bruce, was an All Black and member of the Canterbury team. His great-uncle, Bob Deans, was an All Black and also captained Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...
.
Notes
References
Bibliography and references
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External links
Crusaders profile
in : The Australian
{{DEFAULTSORT:Deans, Robbie
1959 births
Australia national rugby union team coaches
Canterbury rugby union players
Living people
New Zealand international rugby union players
New Zealand rugby union coaches
New Zealand rugby union players
People educated at Christ's College, Christchurch
People from Cheviot, New Zealand
Rugby union fullbacks
Lincoln University (New Zealand) alumni
Robbie
Harper family