Next Leicester Tigers boss: Five favorites for the job – Page 2 of 5

#4. Dean Richards – 25/1

Another name mentioned is the legend Leicester Richards. Richards played as a number eight for Leicester Tigers from 1982 to 1997, during which time he played in 314 games.

He was captain when Leicester won the League of Courage in 1994–95, the Pilkington Cup in 1997, the inaugural English league title in 1987–88 and the Pilkington Cup in 1993.

After retiring from the game in 1998, Richards was appointed Leicester’s director of rugby. Under his management, Leicester won the Premiership Rugby title in his first four seasons and also the Heineken Cup in 2001 and 2002, becoming the first team to retain the trophy.

He then spent a year as head coach of FC Grenoble in France’s Top 16. From 2005 to 2009, he coached Harlequins and led them to Division Two victory in 2006 and also to second place in the Premiership in 2009. However, Richards was banned from coaching for three years in following the Bloodgate scandal.

After the ban ended, he was appointed head coach of Newcastle Falcons and led the team to another Second Division title in 2013.

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