NSW Waratah and Wallaby lock Dean Mumm has today announced that he will retire from rugby at the end of the 2017 season.
The towering second rower has been capped 124 times for NSW including 112 times for the Waratahs in Super Rugby, the sixth highest of all time.
He has also represented the Wallabies in 57 Test matches and became the 84th Test captain in the match against Uruguay during the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Dean Mumm made his debut for the NSW Waratahs against Salta on the 2004 Argentine rugby tour and three years later made his Super Rugby debut against the Lions in Johannesburg.
“It’s been a long time since my debut with the Waratahs who really helped define me as a rugby player. They got me into the Waratahs identity which was really important as a young player starting out,” Mumm said.
“That came through the people you play with and who you were led by, people like Phil Waugh who personified what it meant to wear the Waratah jersey and then Dave Dennis and Michael Hooper who were each different but who brought certain qualities you want to aspire to.”
In 2012 Dean joined English Premiership team the Exeter Chiefs and the following year he was named as Exeter Chiefs’ team captain for the 2013–14 season before returning to Australia the following year to play for the Waratahs.
“Exeter was a huge factor in my career where I found a balanced approach to rugby of serious professionalism with off field life and I really enjoyed my time there,” he said.
In 2016 Mumm became the Waratahs’ highest capped second rower in the club’s history.
NSW Waratah coach Daryl Gibson says Mumm is a smart player who thinks deeply about the game and has taken time with the younger players to share his experience.
“Deans been great mentoring the young locks, sharing his knowledge and being an excellent role model so he’ll be a significant loss to the club,” said Gibson.
Mumm will begin his new life after rugby working in insurance.
“I’ve been working in the insurance industry one day a week for the last 18 months which is something I’ve enjoyed and I’d like to continue. I’ll also have more time to spend with my wife and more time at home on the weekends,” he said.
Mumm will also become involved in charity work after he and his wife lost two premature children.
“My wife and I did some charity work in the UK with the Borne organisation and since coming back I haven’t had a lot of time to do much. So I’ll be walking to the North Pole next year to raise money to set up a charity here with the aim of increasing research into premature birth and early death,” said Mumm
As for the highlights of his time at the Waratahs, Mumm nominates the Super Rugby home semi-final against the Sharks in 2008 in front of a full house and one other very special moment.
“Like any Waratahs fan the immense pride of seeing the boys get the job done in 2014 was very special even though I was watching it and not playing.”
Dean Mumm’s Rugby Record
- NSW Debut v Salta at Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena 16/10/2004 – playing in the 2nd row W 51-25
- Waratah Super Rugby Debut v The Lions at Ellis Park 2/2/2007 – 2nd row replacement for Ben Hand after 51 mins W 25-16
- NSW Captain 10 matches (2006-2011 inc SR) – W 6 L 4 – First match as Captain v Saracens “A” at Woollams Fields 28/9/2006 W 39-7
- Waratah Super Rugby Captain 9 matches (2010-2011) – W 5 L 4 – First match as Captain v The Cheetahs at SFS 3/4/2010 W 40-17
- 57 Caps for Australian Wallabies
- 124 NSW caps (6th overall) – 65 points (13t)
- 112 Waratah Super Rugby caps (6th overall) – 60 points (12t)
- Most capped all-time NSW 2nd row (101 caps)
- Most capped Waratah Super Rugby 2nd row (95 caps)
Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Dean moved to Sydney playing his junior Rugby for Beecroft. He captained the King’s first XV in 2001 and 2002, winning the GPS title in 2002 and captained GPS firsts, NSW Schools and the Australian Schools team.