North Berwick's Chris Dean reaches 150 appearances for Edinburgh Rugby

The centre came on for the final three minutes of the Capital side’s 24-7 win at Cardiff Rugby on Saturday afternoon.

Speaking before the game, which put Edinburgh ninth in the United Rugby Championship table, Dean (pictured, by Edinburgh Rugby) told the club website what it meant to him to reach the milestone.

The North Berwick native said: “Making 150 games will be a special moment for sure.

“I think it is something that, if you had probably offered me back in 2014 when I joined the club, or said to me I would make 150 appearances, I would probably have laughed first of all. Then, I would have bitten your hand off for it.

“I think it goes really fast and you never really think about these numbers until suddenly you are like two or three away.

“You think ‘oh, wow, that’s really fast’ and suddenly you feel really old. It will mean a massive amount.

“I grew up supporting the club. All I ever wanted to do was wear an Edinburgh shirt when I started playing rugby down in North Berwick and then when I started school at Edinburgh Academy.

“To have done that and to do it 150 times means a lot.

READ MORE: Rugby: Chris Dean and Ben Muncaster extend stay with Edinburgh

“Obviously, the game comes first and I will soon enjoy it and properly reflect on it after I have done it.

“To hear I am the third-most-capped back is crazy.

“There are some pretty cool names ahead of me and I probably could not have wished for it. To actually do it and make it a reality is pretty cool.”

Thirty-year-old Dean started his rugby career at North Berwick RFC.

The club has an impressive CV, having helped start the careers of stars such as Rory Darge, Lewis Carmichael, Tom Brown and Callum Hunter-Hill, as well as Megan Gaffney and Annabel Sergeant.

Former Law Primary School pupil Dean made his Edinburgh debut against Leinster in September 2015.

Edinburgh Rugby centurion Chris Dean (pictured) re-signs with the capital club. Picture: Edinburgh Rugby.

Since then, he has become a key part of the Capital club’s squad and been named in the Scotland squad – although international recognition at the top level has so far eluded him.

Off the pitch, the dad-of-two explained how fatherhood had impacted upon his career in a positive way.

He said: “I, personally, love it.

“I think what people don’t appreciate at times is the mental rollercoaster that comes with sport.

“Going home and just being ‘dad’, they don’t give a monkey’s about what on earth you do or how your day has been; you’ve got to completely change.

“It is an amazing switch-off. It gives you a different perspective on what is important.

“You win, you lose, you’re injured or you’re not picked or playing or whatever goes on in your week as a rugby player, it can be an emotional rollercoaster.

“The perspective it gives you is that, when you go home, none of that matters and it is always nice to go back to usually some open arms.”