Robbie Deans
![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Birth name | Robert Maxwell Deans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 4 September 1959 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Cheviot, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 79 kg (12 st 6 lb; 174 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Christ's College, Christchurch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Lincoln University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Bruce Deans (brother) Bob Deans (great-uncle) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Robert Maxwell Deans (born 4 September 1959) is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player, currently the head coach of Japanese club
Playing career
Deans attended
Deans also played for New Zealand's national rugby team, the
Coaching career
Canterbury and Crusaders
Deans was appointed as coach of the Canterbury team for the 1997
In 2000 Deans took over as Crusaders coach after Wayne Smith became All Blacks coach. He coached the Crusaders to their third successive
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
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
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 – 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.[10]
Shortly after the details were made official, Deans released a personal statement on the Crusader's official website:[11]
[...] 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
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.[12][nb 1]
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.[13] 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.[13]
Following the Wallabies 2–1 series defeat to the British & Irish Lions on their 2013 tour and a record 41–16 defeat in the decider,[14][15] Deans handed his resignation into the ARU thus ending his role as head coach of the Wallabies.[16][17] During his six-year tenure, Deans coached the Wallabies on 74 occasions, winning 43 times, losing 29 and drawing twice.[18] 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.
Panasonic Wild Knights
On 21 April 2014, Deans was announced as the
Barbarians
On 23 June 2017 it was announced that Deans is to coach the
Notable family members
His brother,
Notes
- ^ Deans was referred to as Robbie 'Dingo' Deans within New Zealand media in 2008,[12] at a time when he still had a perfect winning record for the Wallabies, including a record 34–19 victory over the All Blacks in 2008 with Australia's highest number of points scored in a win against New Zealand.[21][22]
References
- ^ Giford (2004), p. 111
- ^ a b "Sportsfreaks Top 10 Shield moments". sportsfreak.co.nz. 17 July 2006. Retrieved 28 October 2006.
- ^ Gifford (2004), p. 124
- ^ "Thanks for the Memories". crfu.co.nz. 25 September 2006. Archived from the original on 7 October 2006. Retrieved 28 October 2006.
- ^ Gifford (2004), p. 156
- ^ Gifford (2004), p. 161
- ^ Howitt (2005), p. 51.
- ^ Howitt (2005), p. 65.
- ^ Gifford (2004), p. 181
- ^ "Robbie Deans appointed as Wallabies coach". PM. ABC. 14 December 2007. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
- ^ "A personal message from Crusaders coach Robbie Deans". Canterbury Rugby Union. 17 December 2007. Archived from the original on 5 June 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
- ^ a b Wildman, Rob (27 July 2008). "Sean Fitzpatrick warns that New Zealand are close to crisis". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 5 August 2008.
- ^ a b Paul, Gregor (7 July 2013). "Secret talks to replace Deans after Wallabies collapse". Sunshine Coast Daily.
- ^ "Lions roar past Wallabies to break tour drought with third Test rout of Wallabies". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 7 July 2013.
- ^ "It's all over now for Robbie Deans as Lions thump Wallabies to clinch series". Herald Sun. 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Australia coach Robbie Deans resigns following Lions defeat". BBC. 9 July 2013.
- ^ "Robbie Deans steps down as Wallabies coach". Australian Rugby. 9 July 2013.
- ^ "Robbie Deans Statistics". Lassen.
- ^ Robbie Deans nouveau manager de Panasonic Wild Knights!
- ^ "Deans to coach Barbarians v New Zealand at Twickenham - Barbarian FC".
- ^ "Australia destroy hapless All Blacks". Stuff.co.nz. 26 July 2008. Archived from the original on 17 January 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
- ^ "Test matches/Team records". ESPN scrum.
Bibliography and references
- "Robbie Deans". TheRoar. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
- Robbie Deans at AllBlacks.com
- Gifford, Phil (2004). The Passion – The Stories Behind 125 years of Canterbury Rugby. Wilson Scott Publishing. ISBN 0-9582535-1-X.
- Howitt, Bob (2005). SANZAR Saga – Ten Years of Super 12 and Tri-Nations Rugby. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 1-86950-566-2.
- McIlraith, Matt (2005). Ten Years of Super 12. Hodder Moa. ISBN 1-86971-025-8.