The Star: February 07, 2019

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26 Thursday February 7 2019 Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi The Star Sport Coaching the All Blacks would lure Robbie Deans is Super Rugby’s most successful head coach winning five titles with the Crusaders between 2000 and 2008. Deans returned home last week during a break in the Japanese Top League season. Gordon Findlater caught up with him RUGBY FAMILY: The 2008 Super Rugby final – Deans was carried off the field by Brad Thorn and Reuben Thorne in his last game as coach of the Crusaders. PHOTO: MARTIN HUNTER COACHING THE All Blacks is the only opportunity that would lure Robbie Deans back to New Zealand. The former Crusaders and Wallabies coach – who currently coaches the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan – is back home for the next month. However, with no interest in a return to Super Rugby there’s only one job that would see his return home come before retirement. “I got no interest in living out of a suitcase which is what Super Rugby is essentially, it’s a lot of travel. I was lucky enough to do that for 12 years between managing and coaching so I’ve had my fill,” said Deans. “That [All Blacks] would be the only international job that would be of interest if I was going to do one again, but no it won’t happen. There’s guys like Razor [Scott Robertson] who have got the background now.” Deans spent time last week at Crusaders training and caught up with Robertson over a coffee. While Deans may have a realist approach to his chances of taking the head coaching role of the All Blacks when Steve Hanson finishes up at the end of this year’s Rugby World Cup, he would be open to taking on an assistant or advisory role for whoever gets the nod. If Robertson is to take charge there’s every chance Deans could be someone to bring into the fold given the pair’s relationship. “Oh, look I’d be honoured if someone like that thought I’d be right for a role,” he said. “I stay in touch with the Crusaders and in particular the people, that’s the nature of rugby. There’s a lot of guys who are now coaching, Brad Thorn, Gibbo [Daryl Gibson], Aaron [Mauger] and Todd Blackadder, I stay in touch with all of those guys. The people who I’ve been lucky enough to be involved with along the way is what makes rugby.” “We’ve got some great history together and shared some great experiences.” For now Deans says he is loving life coaching in Japan which allows him and his wife Penny the time to visit their three children who are spread around the world, and regularly return home. “What’s appealing about Japan is that it’s a much better balance in the year. Europe is 11 months, Japan is eight with a two-month winter break, so you’re talking about a six-month calendar year, it’s great.” While rugby will always play second fiddle to the likes of baseball in Japan, Deans says the interest in the game is growing, something he sees helping Japan’s national team become a relevant threat to big rugby nations going forward. “It is evolving. Post 2015 the interest in the game, particularly with the World Cup coming has boomed. We have a lot more general public watching us train and more of a media presence. The media presence is probably greater than here, it’s just a pure numbers thing,” said Deans. While in Japan, Deans has also found time to get involved in his other sporting passion – cricket. He has even left a mark on the Japanese national side after being invited to a net session with the team after running into their coach at his local squash club in Sano. 4wd repAirs & servicing Diesel The diesel professionals specialising in All work guArAnteed 288 Lincoln Road (opp ANZ) Ph: 338 8884 www.dieseldoctor.co.nz
The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Thursday February 7 2019 27 local sport Proudly brought to you by... Tower JuncTion Phone: 348 6020 Open 7 days 11am to late www.speightstowerjunction.co.nz Robbie Deans back to NZ “The ICC has just tipped in US$4 million to upgrade their national centre, so it’s a pretty good oval. I’ve been down there and had a hit, and worked with the national team,” said Deans. “They’ve got some useful cricketers . . . they had a leg spinner there who was self-taught. He watches Shane Warne on You- Tube and taught himself to bowl, including a flipper.” This week Deans is representing Canterbury at the national over 60s provincial cricket tournament in Lower Hutt. Deans played in a New Zealand secondary school team in 1977 which featured Martin Crowe who made the team as a fourth form student. The team played against Australian state teams at a tournament in Christchurch. Deans finished as the tournament’s top run scorer and scored 150 against a Tasmania team Robbie Deans coaching career Age – 59 which featured David Boon. Deans played one match for Canterbury in Waimate in 1982 – the same year he helped Canterbury’s rugby side win the Ranfurly Shield. “At the end of the season I got sent a cheque for $17.98. I never banked it because it would have made me a professional which would have compromised my rugby.” Following his rugby playing career Deans played representative cricket for Canterbury Country. He scored a century against Marlborough and was part of an unsuccessful Hawke Cup challenge against Northland. At 59, Deans has been given dispensation to compete at the over-60s tournament. I’m sure there won’t be too many complaints from anyone who has the opportunity to send down a delivery to him. MULTI-TALENTED: Deans batting in Japan. In 2017 he coached the Barbarians to a 22-31 loss to the All Blacks. Coaching positions – Canterbury 1997-2000, Crusaders 2000-2008, Australia 2008-2013, Panasonic Wild Knights 2014-present. Head coaching title: NPC 1997; Super Rugby 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008; Tri-Nations 2011; Top League (Japan) 2014, 2015, 2016. in brief Keas take tournament final for third time The Linwood Keas completed a Crosbie Nines three-peat on Saturday when they defeated the Papanui Tigers 21-11 in the tournament final. The Keas will now build towards the Canterbury Rugby League premiership where they will be going for a fourth straight title. Britt re-signs for Rams’ NBL season The Canterbury Rams have resigned guard Taylor Britt for this year’s NBL season. The former Papanui High School student. The 22-year-old made valuable contributions off the bench for the Rams last year. Team champs title for Glen Eagles The Canterbury Glen Eagles won their first teams’ championships at the Palmerston North speedway at the weekend when they defeated the Hawke’s Bay Hawkeyes in Sunday’s final. Since first appearing at the champs in 1984 the Glen Eagles have previously made just one finals appearance and held a record of just 16 wins from 62 races. TOUCH CANTERBURY Touch is once again out in force across parks, beaches and backyards. The flexibility of this game sees it as one of the most popular summer sports in NZ. This season sees more than 17,000 players actively involved in our competitions, which span across Canterbury and the West coast. Currently we have 35 affiliated modules that cover both junior and senior competitions and cater to all ages and experience. Touch really is a sport that caters to people of all diverse backgrounds and provides opportunities for all. This is one of the keys to why we are able to develop relationships with other local sporting communities, and build strong links within the community. Whilst a large majority of participants are involved in touch for the pure social aspect of it, we do have a developed pathway for those that have higher aspirations to representative honours. Touch Canterbury has a long and proud record on the national stage and this tradition continues with the upcoming Touch New Zealand Junior and YOM (Youth, Open and Masters) National tournaments. 2019 will see a total of 17 teams represent Canterbury and travel to Rotorua in February and March, to compete against the best players and teams from all over New Zealand. The Junior Nationals will see 6 teams compete in the boys, girls and mixed divisions at both U16 and U18 level. At the YOM Nationals we will have 11 teams represent grades from Under 21’s to Over 55’s. The players, coaches and management have been working extremely hard, and we look forward to seeing all the preparation be put into action as they challenge for a national title. Touch Canterbury also supports the development and growth of referees within our sport and we are very proud to once again have the largest provincial contingent of referees attend these national events. As with many sports, touch is a user-pay system which can add extra pressure to attending these events. Touch Canterbury and our representative players are extremely grateful for the support of local businesses and funders to aid our athletes in recognising and achieving their goals. You can keep up to date with all the activity and results on our Facebook page, https://www. facebook.com/touchcanterbury/ For more information regarding Touch in Canterbury, please visit: www.touchcanterbury.co.nz
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