Danny Wilson (rugby union)
Danny Wilson is a professional rugby union coach. He is the Head Coach at Glasgow Warriors.[1]
| Date of birth | c. 1976 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of birth | Weston-super-Mare, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
He was born in the West Country in Somerset, near Weston-super-Mare, England.[2] As a player he turned out at Hooker.[3]
Rugby Union career
Playing career
Amateur career
Wilson began playing rugby union for a couple of Weston-super-Mare sides; Hornets and Weston-super-Mare.[3] He moved to Cardiff to study and then played for Cardiff Metropolitan University.[3]
He also played a year with Treorchy.[3]
While in Wales, he married Welsh international Rachel Poolman.[2]
Professional career
He played for Bristol Bears under 21 side.[4]
Coaching career
Club career
A degenerative disc problem in his back ended Wilson's playing career at the age of 25; and Wilson moved into coaching.[3]
He secured a job coaching at Cardiff Blues academy before being named as London Welsh head coach in 2008.[5]
Wilson has coached 3 of the 4 Welsh regions being forwards coach at Newport Gwent Dragons and the Scarlets before taking over as head coach at the Cardiff Blues in 2015, replacing Mark Hammett in the role.[6]
Wilson from 2014 to 2015 was Bristols forwards coach, working under former England coach Andy Robinson. However, in 2015 he left the club after they failed to gain promotion from the RFU Championship, to join the Cardiff Blues as head coach.[7]
After 3 seasons in Cardiff, it was announced that he would be leaving at the end of the 17/18 Season to Join Wasps as Forwards coach.[8] He subsequently pulled out of that deal with Wasps, when the Forwards coach role with the Scotland national rugby union team became available.[9]
Glasgow Warriors
On 20 November 2019 it was announced that Wilson would be the new Head Coach of Glasgow Warriors for the 2020-21 season, after Dave Rennie stands down.[1]
Wilson stated: “I’ve been extremely impressed with the Scottish system in recent years and I’m looking forward to working with an exciting and talented squad of players at the Warriors. I want to build on the high-tempo style of play that I know the fans love and pay to see week in, week out."[1]
He officially took over as Head Coach of Glasgow Warriors on 1 June 2020.[10]
International career
Wilson also coached the Wales U20s team in the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship where the Welsh side defeated the Baby Blacks 9-6 in the group stage. Wales would be knocked out in the semi-finals as the Baby Blacks defeated them in the semi-finals but claimed the Bronze medal defeating Argentina in the 3rd place playoff. So far 7 members of this Wales U20s squad have made their full national team debuts. Those players are: Rob Evans, Samson Lee, Dan Baker, Matthew Morgan, Cory Allen, Tom Prydie and Eli Walker.[11]
It was announced in 2018 that he would be joining the Scottish National side coaching team as forwards coach.[12]
References
- "Wilson named new Head Coach". Glasgow Warriors.
- "New Scotland forwards coach Danny Wilson shares Townsend philosophy". www.scotsman.com.
- Thomas, Simon (June 20, 2015). "The Danny Wilson interview: 'I've cut my teeth, now I'm in the deep end'". walesonline.
- www.uprisevsi.co.uk, upriseVSI. "Guinness PRO12 Big Interview: Danny Wilson". upriseVSI.
- "Danny Wilson: Scotland lure prompts U-turn for innovative coach". June 13, 2018 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- "Cardiff Blues confirm Danny Wilson as new head coach". June 11, 2015 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- Association, Press (June 11, 2015). "Danny Wilson leaves Bristol to join Cardiff Blues as head coach" – via www.theguardian.com.
- "Danny Wilson: Cardiff Blues coach appointed assistant coach at Wasps". December 14, 2017 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- "Wasps 'disappointed' as Danny Wilson reneges on move to join Scotland as assistant coach". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
- https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/rugby/1331171/dave-rennie-leaving-a-month-early-as-danny-wilson-takes-over-at-scotstoun/
- "Wales announce Junior World Cup squad". walesonline. April 30, 2012.
- "Danny Wilson | Scottish Rugby Union". www.scottishrugby.org. Retrieved 2018-11-03.