Dean Richards a rugby one-off and Joe Marler and Austin Healey explain why

An era ends in Newcastle today when Dean Richards takes charge of his final home game as a top-flight rugby boss.

Twenty four years after first being appointed as Director of Rugby by Leicester, he presides over his 683rd match against those same Tigers.

“He won’t want anyone talking about him above the game,” warned Dave Walder, who steps up from head coach to succeed Richards this summer.

“He has played as big a role here as his character would suggest, kept the club going through some pretty tough times over the years.

“But he won’t want anyone making a big scene. He’ll just want to merge off quietly. That’s the way he does it.”

Richards, 58, will be remembered for his role in Bloodgate, the faking of a blood injury during his time at Harlequins, which led to his resignation and a three-year coaching ban.

That could have tarnished his career forever, instead 13 years on he remains one of the game’s most loved characters.

“I remember the first time I met Dean,” said Joe Marler, Harlequins’ England prop.

“It was my first week at the club he could have sacked me for midweek drinking and then getting beat up by a load of bouncers on a Wednesday night.

“But because I got beat up trying to defend a friend he chose just to scare me a little bit before saying, ‘I’m slapping you on the wrist but actually congratulating you for sticking up for your team mate'.

“It was quite an experience for me, as a young 17-year old, to have a legend of the sport treat me like that.”

Austin Healey, who played under Richards at Leicester, recalled how in his first week at the club he was sent with ‘Deano’ to conduct a coaching session in Norwich.

“We met this guy called Smokie, a real huge fella,” recalled Healey. “We had a few beers and a