‘In almost every French game, there’s theatre’: Dean Richards on bringing joie de vivre back to English rugby

Doncaster Knights’ new director of rugby is passionate about the Champ, who Steve Borthwick should pick from overseas and getting players to have a bit of fun

Turn up at Castle Park in Doncaster this week and, bang on cue, a pony and trap is being driven in stately fashion down the nearby main road. There is, some might argue, a similarly retro feel about the Knights’ latest choice of director of rugby. It is now 40 years since Dean Richards barged his way into the public consciousness with two tries on his Test debut against Ireland at Twickenham but, at 63, he is still very much up for a challenge.

As with vinyl records and fine wine, old-school rugby nous never goes entirely out of vogue. That, at least, is the rationale behind Richards’ return to the upper rungs of the English club ladder, commencing with a 740-mile round trip to Cornish Pirates on the opening weekend of the 2026-27 Champ season. “If it’s ingrained in you and you love the sport, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t continue in some capacity,” he says softly, gazing out of the window at his latest field of dreams.