Steve Williams (rugby union, born 1970)

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Steve Williams
Birth nameSteven Michael Williams
Date of birth (1970-10-03) 3 October 1970 (age 53)
Place of birth Neath, Wales
Height1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
School Glan Afan Comprehensive School
University University of Glamorgan
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Back row
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
– Swansea ()
– Neath ()
1997–2000 Cardiff ()
2000–2002 London Irish ()
2002–2004 Northampton ()
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1994–2003 Wales 28 (10)

Steve Williams is a Welsh former professional rugby union player. A back row forward, he played his club rugby for Swansea, Neath, Cardiff, London Irish and Northampton and has 28 international caps.

Contents

Playing career

Club career

Williams began his career with Swansea, and featured for the side against the All Blacks. [1] He later played for Neath where he started in two Welsh Cup final defeats, before joining Cardiff in 1997. [2] [3]

After three seasons with Cardiff, Williams joined London Irish in 2000, and won the Powergen Cup with the side in 2002, starting in the second row in a 38–7 win over Northampton. [4] [5]

Williams joined Northampton ahead of the 2002–03 season. [6] In 2003, Williams again started in the final of the Powergen Cup, as the Saints lost 40–22 to Gloucester. [2] [7] He retired in 2004, due to a persistent knee injury. [1]

International career

Williams played for Wales U18 and was captain of the Wales U21 team. [8]

Williams made his test debut with Wales on the 1994 Wales rugby union tour of Canada and Oceania against Tonga. [9] Williams did not feature for Wales between 1998 and 2001, but did feature for Wales A in February 2000. [8] Williams also played in a "Probables v Possibles" development match later in the year. [10]

In 2002, Williams earned a recall to the national side for a friendly against the Barbarians, and joined the team on the 2002 Wales rugby union tour of South Africa. [11] Williams later featured for Wales in the 2003 Six Nations Championship, and scored a try against Italy, but he retired from international rugby ahead of the 2003 Rugby World Cup. [12]

Coaching career

After retiring as a player, Williams joined Coventry in 2004, and became coach following the resignation of Director of Rugby John White. [13] He helped the side avoid relegation, before rejoining Northampton in 2005, working as forwards coach. [14] Williams joined Pertemps Bees in 2006 as head coach, and spent one season with the team. [15]

In 2007, Williams departed the Bees to join Ulster as assistant coach, replacing Allen Clark. [16] [17] Following the resignation of head coach Mark McCall, Williams was named as caretaker head coach, and resumed his role as an assistant coach following the arrival of new head coach Matt Williams. [18] Williams departed Ulster at the end of the 2008–09 Celtic League. [19]

Williams later returned to Wales, and in 2011 was named as head coach of Carmarthen Quins. [20] He departed the club in 2013. [10]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Saint Steve praying for coaching job". Wales Online. 23 March 2004. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  2. 1 2 Malin, Ian (4 April 2003). "Williams joins Saints' final purge". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  3. ↑ "Cardiff RFC Season Review 1997 – 1998 – CARDIFF RFC" . Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  4. ↑ "BBC SPORT | WALES | Steve Williams heads for London Irish". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  5. ↑ "Exiles claim Cup glory". BBC Sport. 20 April 2002. Retrieved 12 December 2009.
  6. ↑ "Saints snap up Connors". ESPN.com. 14 August 2002. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  7. ↑ "Clockwatch: Powergen Cup final". 5 April 2003. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  8. 1 2 "Steve Williams Steps Down - Welsh Rugby Union". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. 15 July 2003. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  9. ↑ "Wales V Tonga Classics: 1994 - Welsh Rugby Union". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. 17 October 2003. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  10. 1 2 Rogers, Gareth (12 May 2014). "The probables v possibles of 2000". Wales Online. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  11. ↑ "Williams earns Wales call". 23 May 2002. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  12. ↑ "Williams calls time on international career". Wales Online. 16 July 2003. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  13. ↑ "Shock as White walks out". Coventry Live. 17 September 2004. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  14. ↑ "Williams enjoying coaching success out of Wales". Wales Online. 11 November 2007. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  15. ↑ "Williams in charge at Bees". Business Live. 8 May 2006. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  16. ↑ Howell, Andy (12 June 2007). "Williams delight at landing Ulster post". Wales Online. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  17. ↑ "Bees blow as Williams joins Ulster". Business Live. 12 June 2007. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  18. ↑ "Ulster coach quits". Sky Sports. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  19. ↑ "Williams quits as Ulster rugby boss". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 20 May 2009. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  20. ↑ "Premiership off to cracking start - Welsh Rugby Union". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. 4 September 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
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