Bruce Deans

For the historically minded there was a sweet touch to the test debut of Bruce Deans which came against Wales at Christchurch’s Lancaster Park in 1988. In the All Blacks’ 52-3 win Deans scored a try and thus there could be some satisfaction that at long last in a New Zealand test against Wales a Deans had finally got on the tryscoring sheet.

For Deans and his elder (by nearly 15 months) fullback brother Robbie were the grand nephews of the legendary Bob who, playing for the 1905 Originals, was denied what could have been a matchwinning try against the Welsh.

Bruce Deans was a sturdy halfback who though he had a few limitations, especially in passing, was an admirable servant for both Canterbury during the 1980s and for a couple of seasons at the end of the decade with the All Blacks.

Unlike Robbie who won early recognition at age group levels Bruce Deans was more of a late developer and did not make the national colts side. He entered first class rugby with two matches for Canterbury B in 1981 and in 1982 displaced the 1980 All Black halfback Steve Scott as Canterbury’s first choice.

He was in the team which lifted the Ranfurly Shield from Wellington in 1982 and for the next three seasons was a mainstay in the 25 record equalling defences. Deans played in every match and won considerable respect for his consistency and high work rate.

He made the 1985 South Island team and the New Zealand Emerging Players squad for an internal tour. But he was something of a surprise choice when he jumped over two previous All Blacks in Andrew Donald and Dean Kenny to become David Kirk’s halfback understudy in the 1987 World Cup squad.

Under the strict replacement rules then in force Deans and the other inside back reserve Frano Botica did not even get a second of playing time in the World Cup tournament. But Deans gained some consolation by playing in two matches on the end of year tour of Japan which even though some leading players were excluded carried official All Black status.

In 1988, with Kirk studying at Oxford University, Deans became the test incumbent, playing against Wales and then on the tour of Australia. He played all five domestic tests in 1989 against France, Argentina and Australia but on the end of year tour of Wales and Ireland he was replaced as the number one halfback by his younger Canterbury understudy Graeme Bachop.

Despite Deans’ solid efforts it was clear by then that Bachop was the longer passer and was just a little more talented. Deans finished with 23 All Black matches and 10 tests in which he achieved a remarkable tryscoring ratio. For he followed his first test try against Wales with another in the second test at Eden Park and a third in 1988 in the third test against the Wallabies in Sydney. In 1989 he also scored twice in the second test over the Pumas at Athletic Park.

In 1990 Deans carried his tally of Canterbury A matches to 116, but the order had also changed in the province in Bachop’s favour and soon after Deans departed for a lengthy overseas stint as a player or coach, mainly in Ireland.