Ex-Wallaby boss Deans to coach Baa-Baas

Former Australia coach Robbie Deans will take charge of the Barbarians for their fixtures against Ireland and England in May.

Deans led the Wallabies from 2008 to 2013 and has so far named Australia five-eighth Berrick Barnes, New Zealand lock George Whitelock and Argentina half-back Tomas Cubelli in his squad.

“I count my trips back to the UK as special times in my rugby coaching career and a couple of fixtures against the third- and fourth-ranked rugby nations in a World Cup year are an exciting prospect,” said Deans on Tuesday, ahead of matches against Ireland at Limerick’s Thomond Park on May 28 and England at Twickenham on May 31.

“The Barbarians are an iconic team with a special place in rugby’s history and it is a privilege to be invited to be their coach,” added the New Zealander, who won five Test caps as a fullback for the All Blacks in the 1980s.

While the worth of Barbarians matches has sometimes been questioned in the professional era, last season they beat England 39-29 and in November only lost narrowly to Australia, 40-36, in one of the club’s best recent performances which included a classic length-of-the-field try finished by Marnitz Boshoff.

“Their performances against England and Australia last year were outstanding and that is the standard we have to uphold,” said Deans, who now coaches Panasonic in the Japanese Top League, where Barnes and Whitelock have played this season.

Tuesday’s announcement came exactly 42 years to the day the Barbarians beat New Zealand 23-11 in Cardiff.

This year’s contests mark another significant moment for the Barbarians, who celebrate the 125th anniversary of their foundation on April 9.