After fan favourite Conor O'Shea ruled himself out of returning to his home province to take over from Matt O'Connor as head coach of Leinster, another contender has assumed favouritism to take the role.
Robbie Deans Leinster
It could be because he's already in the country, but the odds on Robbie Deans becoming the next Leinster coach have been slashed from 17/2 to 1/4. Deans can currently be backed at odds of 8/15 after drifting.
Deans is taking control of the Barbarians as they prepare to take on a heavily Leinster influenced Ireland next Thursday as players from Munster, Ulster and Connacht are still busy with their provinces at the business end of the season.
The former Australia head coach is the current coach of the Japanese side Panasonic Wild Knights whose players include Springbok JP Pietersen, Wallaby Berrick Barnes and Japanese hero Fumiaki Tanaka.
There have been a flurry of names mentioned from Irish coaches Bernard Jackman and Girvan Dempsey, to overseas coaches with Leinster links like second favourite Jono Gibbes and Mike Ruddock, to major names in Ewen McKenzie or Exeter head coach Rob Baxter.
Leinster will be in no rush to name a coach, and have a history of taking their time to make an appointment. Leo Cullen will take control of head coaching duties in the interim.
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See Also: 11 Of The Most Likely Contenders To Be The Next Leinster Head Coach
See Also: Robbie Deans Out And Ewen McKenzie In As Australia Move Swiftly
See Also: The Favourite To Take The Leinster Coaching Job Rules Himself Out
Photo Credit Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
