This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia.(April 2021) |
Birth name | Matthew Brian Williams | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 1960 (age 63–64)[ citation needed ] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Matt Williams (born 1960) is an Australian rugby union coach who is best known for having led the Scotland men's national rugby union team between 2003 and 2005. Williams has also coached Eastwood, West Harbour Leinster, Ulster, Narbonne, Ireland A and a Rest of Ireland XV. Since 2015 he has worked as a pundit for Virgin Media Television and has written for the Irish Times since 2011.
Williams played from 1978 to 1992 with both Eastwood and Western Suburbs Rugby Clubs in Sydney and with Swansea RFC in Wales.
Williams started in coaching Western Suburbs U20s in Sydney, Australia in 1992. A year later he became head coach of his former club Eastwood in Sydney in 1993, immediately taking them to the semi-finals in both 1993 and 1994. [ citation needed ] A major improvement from their lowly position when he arrived. Later that year he gained representative recognition when he was appointed fitness and skills coach for the Emerging Wallabies' tour of Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa.
In 1995 his coaching stints included New South Wales A, New South Wales Sevens, and as assistant coach for an Australian XV against England A. He was also a coaching assistant at the Wallaby World Cup camps.
In addition to national coaching duties, Williams also coached the Balmain Tigers 7s team in the Coca-Cola World Sevens in Sydney, winning the Cup. Williams, a lifelong "Balmain Tigers man" said it was "one of the best experiences of his life."
In 1996 he became manager and assistant coach for the NSW Waratahs Super Rugby campaign. For the next three years he was Head Coach for the NSW Waratahs in Super Rugby.
He coached players including Chris Whitaker, David Campese, Matt Burke, Tiaan Strauss, Phil Kearns and Jason Little.
In the autumn of 1999, he acted as backs coach in Leinster Rugby's European Cup campaign, a prelude to becoming the province's head coach in 2000. Williams also undertook the role of defensive coach for the Irish national team in 2001. He was the first Australian Super Rugby Coach to move to Europe. [1]
Williams said that in the three years at Leinster he "was part of a great group of men" who rose through the European rankings from thirty-five to second. Leinster won the inaugural Celtic League Final and were semi-finalists of the European Cup.
Williams coached the former British and Irish Lions Captain Brian O'Driscoll, as well as Gordon D'Arcy, Shane Horgan, Malcolm O'Kelly and Denis Hickie.
Williams also was appointed Head Coach of Ireland "A" in 2002-03 and won the Six Nations title with the "A" team.
After success with Ireland A, Williams was [ citation needed ] "head hunted" by the SRU and, in 2003, he was appointed as the head coach of Scotland. Williams was only the second Australian in over a century to be appointed as a head coach in the Six Nations Championship - and the Scottish national men's team's first foreign coach.[ citation needed ]
After his Scotland tenure, Williams returned to Australia and became head coach of West Harbour rugby club in Sydney from 2006 to 2007 before returning to Ireland to take over a very troubled Ulster team mid-season, after they had sacked former coach Mark McCall. Ulster were last in the Magners League and in danger of missing out on the ERC. Williams got Ulster off the bottom of the ladder and into the next European season.
Williams then resigned from the post of Head Coach at Ulster Rugby in May 2009. [2]
In 2010, he led a group of Australian businessmen in taking over the famous Club Narbonne Méditerranée in France. Williams held three roles within the club. Director Sportif, Head Coach and General Manager. After two years Williams was in deep disagreement with Australian owners, who he felt were not taking the club in the direction that was best for the club's future. He resigned in July 2012. Williams has since been proven correct in his beliefs as Narbonne have had several horror years, culminating with the club being relegated to Federal 1 (French 3rd Division) and the Australians losing control of the club. Several of the young players he "mentored" at Narbonne have gone on to excellent playing careers in the Top 14, including Vincent Rattez who was Capped for France in 2020.[ citation needed ]
He then returned to Australia and in 2013 he set up the rugby programme at the Knox Sports Academy in Sydney. The academy results progressed quickly under his coaching, resulting in Knox winning the CAS in 2015 and 2016. The programme also produced several elite players, including Connor Watson who was contracted by the Sydney Roosters, and Wallabies Lachlan Swinton who is contracted with the NSW Waratahs in Super Rugby and Nick Frost at the Brumbies.
Williams had a brief three-month stint, advising the Timișoara Saracensclub in Romania[ citation needed ], however, the club was paralysed with financial difficulties, and he left in November 2017, with the club leading their pool of the EPCR.
Since 2007 Williams has worked extensively in the Irish media. He is the International Rugby guest writer with The Irish Times for all international matches. He is a guest commentator on Today FM's Matt Coopers, Last Word, Newstalk's Off the Ball, and the Eamon Dunphy podcasts.
Williams has worked extensively on television. Working for the ABC in Australia on match analysis, then in Ireland with Setanta TV, TV3 and its successor channel, Virgin Media One. [3]
Matthew Coleman Burke is an Australian former international rugby union player and sport presenter on Sydney's 10 News First.
Chris Whitaker is an Australian professional rugby union coach and former international player. As of 2018 he is head coach of the Sydney Rays in Australia's National Rugby Championship, and the interim head coach of Super Rugby side the New South Wales Waratahs,
David Knox is an Australian former rugby union footballer and coach.
The West Harbour Rugby Football Club is a team in the Shute Shield, the premier club rugby union football competition in New South Wales. The club is based in Concord in the Inner West of Sydney, and plays home matches at Concord Oval. Concord holds a place in rugby history as a venue for the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987. West Harbour's major sponsor is Burwood RSL and post match functions are held at Club Burwood. In 2020, the Pirates would play out of Drummoyne Oval as Concord Oval being NRL club Wests Tigers' training ground, the venue was deemed off limited for people in excess of the "bubble".
The Sydney University Football Club, founded in 1863, is the oldest club now playing rugby union in Australia, although this date is disputed by historian Tom Hickie who argues that it was 1865.
Ryan Cross is a former Rugby Union footballer for Racing Metro 92 after signing from USA Perpignan in the French Top 14. He previously played for the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition, the Western Force and the NSW Waratahs in Super Rugby and the Australia national rugby union team.
Michael Cheika is an Australian professional dual-code rugby coach and former player who has been coaching the Argentina national team since 2022.
Matthew Dunning is an Australian former rugby union footballer. He played as a prop for the Waratahs and Western Force in Super Rugby, and represented Australia. He coached the Balmain rugby club in Sydney 2013/2014.
Rocky Elsom is an Australian former rugby union player. He played the positions of flanker and number eight. He was selected for 75 caps for Australia. He is the most capped Australian blindside flanker. Elsom was the 76th Australian test captain, having replaced Stirling Mortlock in 2009 for two years. He played for the Wallabies from 2005 until 2011. Elsom played professionally for New South Wales, Brumbies and Leinster.
Adam Ashley-Cooper is a former Australian rugby union player who last played for the LA Giltinis of Major League Rugby (MLR). He has won 121 caps for Australia, the third most of any Australia player at the time of his retirement. His nickname is "Mr. Versatile". He is currently the senior assistant coach for backs with the LA Giltinis.
Lachlan 'Lachie' David Turner is an Australian professional rugby union player who retired at the end of 2018 season. In his usual position of wing. He has a strong kicking game, which allows him to also play at fullback.
Michael Byrne, nicknamed Mick the Kick, is a former Australian rules footballer and rugby union coach, whom specialises in kicking and team skills. Byrne played with Melbourne, Hawthorn and Sydney in the Victorian Football League (VFL) from 1977 to 1989. He also coached his junior side in 1994–95. Currently Byrne is the head coach of Super Rugby Pacific team Fijian Drua.
Sekope Kepu is an Australian professional rugby union player. He is a prop and currently plays for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. He has previously played for Australian club New South Wales Waratahs, the French club Bordeaux, and London Irish. He also plays for Australia's Wallabies in international matches. Kepu made his international debut for Australia in 2008 and has been a regular in match-day squads ever since, now having played over 100 tests. Kepu is the most-capped prop to ever play for the Wallabies and is also one of the most-capped rugby players in history.
Salesi Ma'afu, is an Australian professional rugby union footballer.
Matt Hodgson is an Australian sports administrator and former professional rugby union player for the Western Force and the Wallabies, the Australian national team. He is currently head of rugby at Global Rapid Rugby which launched its Asia-Pacific Showcase competition in 2019.
Kane Douglas is an Australian professional rugby union footballer who currently plays as a lock for the Bordeaux club in France.
Bernard Foley is an Australian rugby player of Irish descent. He plays professionally for the Australia national rugby team and the New South Wales Waratahs in Super Rugby. He can cover both fullback and fly-half as well as inside centre. Foley has earned the nickname "the iceman" after successful game winning penalty goals, 2 August 2014, 18 October 2015.
William Skelton is an Australian rugby union player, who plays as a lock for La Rochelle in the French Top 14 competition.
Taqele Naiyaravoro is an Australian professional rugby union and rugby league footballer. His regular playing position is the wing.
Rodney Charles Moore is an Australian former rugby union player who played tighthead prop for the ACT Brumbies, New South Wales Waratahs, North Harbour, Ulster, and the Australia national team.