Why Reds’ flyhalf backlog is ‘perfect’: Deans

Murray Wenzel and Joel Gould | October 23, 2025

Former Wallabies coach Robbie Deans thinks the long queue to wear the Queensland Reds’ No.10 jersey is the “perfect” scenario for Australia’s playmaking stocks.

New Zealand’s Deans was Australia’s longest-serving Test coach, overseeing 75 games between 2008-13.

He’s back in the country with Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights ahead of Saturday’s Ballymore clash with the Reds, this time as director of coaching after handing the reins to Atsushi Kanazawa.

In his decade with the Japanese club he’s focused on the development of local talent and proudly boasts of their ability to win titles with home-grown No.10s.

As Wallabies coach in 2013 he famously favoured James O’Connor over Quade Cooper in his initial squad to tackle the British and Irish Lions.

Fast forward 12 years and again James O’Connor, at 35, was squeezed into the squad and became a valuable piece of Joe Schmidt’s puzzle during the Rugby Championship.

That repeated history highlighted the Wallabies’ struggle to identify the next generation of playmakers.

Veterans Quade Cooper and Bernard Foley were recalled by former coach Dave Rennie. 

Noah Lolesio was favoured but then injured after he’d agreed to a move away from the ACT Brumbies to Japan next season.

Reds talent Tom Lynagh started in all three Lions Tests but, after repeated concussions and other injuries, has been left out of the Wallabies’ tour squad to recover.

Tane Edmed, who battled for game time at the NSW Waratahs last year, and Carter Gordon, back after a solitary NRL season mostly spent recovering from a nasty spinal injury, are battling for minutes against Japan on Saturday and on their European tour.

Deans watched 18-year-old Reds rookie Finn Mackay set up four tries in a trouncing of his Wild Knights in Toowoomba last weekend.

“It was a great start and they’ll manage his entry,” Deans said of the left-footed Australian U18 talent.

“He’s a very young man but if you’re good, you’re good. And he’s good. And he’s going into an established group.” 

Australia A flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips will wear the No.10 at Ballymore on Saturday, while the recruited Gordon and Lynagh create a log-jam for playmaking berths next season.

“It’s perfect, it’s great; one generation helps the next,” Deans said, harking back to his time as Crusaders coach.

“We had (Andrew) Mehrtens and (Dan) Carter … they lift each other and that competition drives them to another level. 

“That’s exactly what you want.”

Reds coach Les Kiss, who will take over as Wallabies coach next year, said McLaughlin-Phillips would not be shopped to rival Super Rugby outfits.

Deans said the congestion should be viewed as a positive, while a rotation of talent in the hot seat came with the territory and ensured one injury didn’t derail a side.

“Where there’s a queue you get a shift because people know there’s someone in line behind them and if they don’t do the things required they’ll be moved sideways.

“That tends to help and that’s where Australian rugby’s sitting right now.

“You can see some 10s coming on and it’s been a while since we’ve had that.”