Dean William Mumm

Dean Mumm enjoyed one of the more remarkable renaissances in the twilight of his rugby career.

Born in Auckland and grandson to one-cap All Black #507 Bill Mumm, the athletic, surprisingly quick, versatile and towering forward had all the right genes for a future in rugby when he moved to Sydney’s north-west as a young child and played his junior footy for Beecroft.

He attended The King’s School in Sydney’s Parramatta and it was from there that he developed a most enviable rugby CV. He represented Australia U16s, he captained King’s 1st XV in 2001 and again in their winning GPS championship side of 2002. He captained the GPS 1st XV, NSW Schools and Australian Schools.

In 2004 he made his debut for New South Wales against Salta on their tour of Argentina however it was three more years before he enjoyed a Super Rugby debut, against the Lions in Johannesburg. He played in 12 of NSW’s 13 matches that year and as a result was selected for Australia ‘A’ in the Pacific Nations Cup. Finally, in 2008, he made his Test debut, against Ireland in Melbourne.

After Mumm missed selection to the 2011 Rugby World Cup, he all but closed the door on his international career when he signed a three-year contract with English Premiership side the Exeter Chiefs. However, in 2015, Mumm had a 'second coming' for the Wallabies after he answered an 'SOS' from national coach Michael Cheika and was a surprise inclusion in the squad for both the Rugby Championship and the Rugby World Cup. Mumm played in all bar one of the Wallabies’ Tests that year, a tally that included 66 minutes of the RWC Final against New Zealand. During the tournament Mumm became the 84th Wallaby captain when he led the side in the pool match against Uruguay.

Dean Mumm won 57 Test caps for Australia before he retired from the game in 2017. 

Highlights

2000

Represented Australian U16s

2002

Captained Australian Schools against Tongan Schools and New Zealand Schools.  

2005

Selected in the Australian squad for the fourth-annual IRB U21s World Championships in Argentina. 

2008

Mumm won his first Test cap off the bench when he substituted Nathan Sharpe at lock in the 18-12 win over Ireland in Melbourne. His first run-on XV cap came at lock in the 40-10, 2nd Test victory over France in Brisbane. Mumm played in 10 of the season’s 14 internationals. 

2009

He won a further 10 Test caps and on the end-of-season Spring Tour was named captain of the Wallabies for their uncapped matches against Gloucester and Cardiff. 

2010

Mumm played in the opening 13 Tests of the year before he missed the internationals against Italy and France. He scored his first Test try in the 31-44 loss to South Africa in Pretoria. 

2015

Mumm returned from a three-year stint in the U.K. to win 11 caps and selection to his first Rugby World Cup. In the pool game against Uruguay in Birmingham Mumm became the 84th Wallaby to captain his country. 

2016

In his final season of international rugby Mumm won 13 Test caps. He earned a 50th cap in 36-20, 1st Test win over Argentina in Perth. It took Mumm 8 years and 95 days to win his 50th cap, the fourth longest time-frame in Wallaby history.