Dean Richards born 11 July 1963 was schooled at John Cleveland College in Hinckley and was a police constable for Leicestershire Constabulary between the 1980s and 1990s before English rugby union became professional. He played for Roanne in France for a year before returning to England to play for Leicester Tigers.

Dean made his debut for Leicester Tigers in 1982 and went on to captain them for four seasons in the early 1990s. During his playing career he won the league twice as well as three cup titles. He led Leicester to their first Heineken Cup final against Brive, at Cardiff Arms Park, in 1997.

Dean made his senior England debut in 1986 against Ireland at Twickenham in the then Five Nations Championship, scoring two tries in a 25–20 points win. He became an integral part of the England pack in the early 1990s and was voted Whitbread's Rugby World player of the year in 1990/91. He went on to win 48 England caps including playing in 1987, 1991 and 1995 Rugby World Cups, as well as gaining six caps for the British Lions on their 1989 and 1993 tours.

Following his illustrious playing career Dean took over as coach of Leicester in 1998 and in his first full season as Director of Rugby won the Allied Dunbar Premiership. Leicester successfully defended the title for four years in a row under his guidance and secured two Heineken Cups wins.

He was appointed Director of Rugby for Harlequins in May 2005 following their relegation from the Zurich Premiership and led them back to the Premiership at the first attempt, in a season where they lost only one league game. In spring 2012 Dean was named Director of Rugby at Newcastle Falcons, and like he had with Harlequins, took Newcastle to a promotion and back into the Premiership in his first season with the club.