England Rugby Union Forward 8
Dean Richards played 314 games for Leicester Tigers between 1982 and 1997. He was captain as Leicester won the 1994-95 Courage League. And the 1997 Pilkington Cup. In addition, he also played as Leicester won the inaugural English league title in 1987-88. Also, the 1993 Pilkington Cup.
He played 48 times for England between 1986 and 1996. A world-record number of caps for his position at the time. This included the 1987, 1991, and 1995 Rugby World Cups. Also, he represented the British Lions on their 1989 tour to Australia. And 1993 tour to New Zealand playing in six international matches. He was widely regarded as one of the best number eights to have played the game.
He made his senior England debut on 1 March 1986. Against Ireland at Twickenham in the 1986 Five Nations Championship. Also, he scored two tries in a 25–20 points win.
After the 1988 Five Nations Championship match between Scotland and England Richards received a one-match ban from the Rugby Football Union after an incident post-match which damaged the Calcutta Cup. Richards was selected alongside three other Leicester players for England’s tour of Australia and Fiji.
He was selected for the 1989 British Lions tour to Australia. Richards played in all three tests for the Lions. And his powerful mauling play was the bedrock of the Lion’s success. Internationally Richards started all four of England’s games in their 1991 Five Nations Grand Slam. He then toured Australia and Fiji and was named in England’s 1991 World Cup squad. Richards was controversially dropped after a pool stage victory against the United States as England made the final but lost to Australia.
Richards was recalled for England during the 1992 Five Nations Championship, where they won a second successive grand slam. Despite not being selected for England in the 1993 Five Nations Championship. Richards was picked for the 1993 British Lions tour to New Zealand. And started in all three test matches. He also captained the Lions in a non-cap match against Canterbury.
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