Robbie Deans: Red, Black & Gold tells the compelling story of one of the world's greatest rugby personalities.
Robbie Deans' 12-year playing career included five tests for the All Blacks and a starring role at Canterbury. After 17 years in coaching, he boasts a remarkable near-70 percent success rate. Robbie remains Super Rugby's most successful head coach, was the first non-Australian to coach the Wallabies and finished his time there as Australia's most capped test coach.
Spoken with the same honesty he brings to coaching, Robbie reveals the old-fashioned values that have underpinned his career success. He discusses his time in the All Blacks coaching team and the fascinating background to his failure to land the top job. Robbie also breaks his silence on his departure from the Wallabies, examining in depth his five turbulent years with the team and the systemic and cultural challenges he faced there.
Matt McIlraith is the only person to have held the position as team media manager for both the All Blacks and the Wallabies. A former editor of Rugby News, McIlraith hails from New Zealand. McIlraith worked alongside Robbie Deans as part of the All Blacks management in 2002 and 2003, and as media manager for the Canterbury Rugby Union and the Crusaders between 2006 and 2008. He subsequently accompanied Deans to Australia for the duration of his tenure as Australian coach. This is his fourth book.
