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New Zealander Robbie Deans has been appointed Wallabies coach until the end of the 2011 season, the Australian Rugby Union announced today.
Is this the best move for the Wallabies and rugby in Australia?
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Deans won the job ahead of five Australians, former Wallabies coach and media personality Alan Jones, Auckland Blues coach David Nucifora, ACT Brumbies coach Laurie Fisher, NSW Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie and Wallabies assistant coach John Muggleton.
ARU Chairman Peter McGrath said: “Robbie comes with a superb record and I am delighted to announce he will be joining the ARU.
“The ARU Board presented the selection panel with a brief to find the most outstanding candidate.
“We as a Board consider this appointment satisfies that objective.
“The Australian public would expect nothing less from us and we see this as a new start for Australian rugby.
“In terms of our playing ranks, we are on the doorstep of generational change.
“We believe Robbie Deans is the man to move us into that new era.
“He has created history today by becoming the first non-Australian to coach the Wallabies.
“We trust there are further historic achievements awaiting him and the Wallabies over the next four years on the road to the 2011 World Cup.”
ARU Deputy Chief Executive Matt Carroll said the ARU management team was looking forward to working with the new Wallabies coach.
“Robbie will have a major contribution to make to Australian Rugby,” he said.
“That will include a close connection with Super 14 coaches, community rugby and the ARU management team.”
ROBBIE DEANS’ BIOGRAPHY
Born: September 4, 1959
Place of birth: Cheviot, New Zealand
Robbie Deans is Super rugby’s most successful coach, taking the Crusaders to the final six times in the past eight seasons including title wins in 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2006. Finishing the 2007 campaign having presided over 76 winning performances from 115 Super rugby matches, Deans is the only coach in Super rugby to have been in charge of a side for in excess of 100 games.
As a player, he still holds the record for the most points in the Canterbury provincial jersey (147 games, 1641 points). He also played five Tests for New Zealand between 1983 and 1985.
As a coach, Deans started with the Canterbury Country representative side between 1992 and 1995, before taking over the Canterbury side in 1997 when it won the NPC for the first time in 14 years. He later won the Ranfurly Shield with Canterbury in 2000 before surrendering that role to concentrate entirely on the Crusaders.
Crusaders manager between 1997 and 1999, he was associated with two title-winning seasons for the Christchurch based team (1998 & 1999).
Deans was an All Blacks Assistant Coach between 2001 and 2003. During that period, New Zealand won 22, drew one and lost four of the Tests that it played, while winning the Tri-Nations twice and recovering the Bledisloe Cup after a five year absence.
ROBBIE DEANS’ RECORD
PLAYING CAREER
Position: Fullback
Provincial team: Canterbury
Provincial Caps: 146
Provincial Points: 1641 (Canterbury record)
Test Caps: 5
Test points: 50 (4c, 14p)
Test Debut: v Scotland at Edinburgh (12 November 1983)
Test Cap Number: 841
COACHING CAREER
2000-present: Crusaders Head Coach
2001-2003: All Blacks Assistant Coach
1997-2000: Canterbury
COACHING CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Canterbury
National Provincial Championship: 1997
Ranfurly Shield: 2000
Crusaders
Super Rugby Titles: 2000, 2002*, 2005, 2006
Super Rugby Runners up: 2003, 2004
Win/Loss Ratio: 76/115
* Won all 13 competition matches
All Blacks
Bledisloe Cup: 2003
Tri Nations: 2002, 2003
Win/Loss Ratio: 22/4 (1 draw)
Other
New Zealand Rugby Coach of the Year Award: 2002
The Roar’s poll on Wallabies coach
The Roar readers voted for the following Wallabies coaches:
# David Nucifora (30%)
# Robbie Deans (23%)
# Alan Jones (20%)
# Scott Johnson (6%)
# Jake White (6%)
# John Muggleton (4%)
# Graham Henry (4%)
# Laurie Fisher (3%)
# Ewen McKenzie (3%)
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.