Gregor Townsend

Gregor Townsend
Full name Gregor Peter John Townsend
Date of birth (1973-04-26) 26 April 1973
Place of birth Galashiels, Scotland
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight 93 kg (14 st 9 lb)
School Galashiels Academy
University University of Edinburgh
Aston University
Rugby union career
Current status
Position(s) Head Coach
Playing career
Position Fly-half, centre or fullback
Amateur clubs
Years Club / team
1990–1995
1993, 1995		 Gala RFC
Warringah Rugby Club
Gala Star Vets
correct as of 24 June 2014.
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1995–1998
1998–2000
2000–2002
2002–2004
2004
2004–2005
2005–2007		 Northampton Saints
Brive
Castres
Border Reivers
Natal Sharks
Montpellier
Border Reivers		 64
48
51
19
9
30
37
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1990–1995
1993–2003
1997		 Barbarians
Scotland
British and Irish Lions
French Barbarians		 4
82
2
1
(164)
(0)
correct as of 24 June 2014.
Coaching career
Years Club / team
2005–2007
2009–2012
2012–present		 Border Reivers (player-coach)
Scotland (Asst)
Glasgow Warriors

Gregor Peter John Townsend MBE (born 26 April 1973 in Galashiels) is a former Scottish rugby union player and now the Head Coach of the Glasgow Warriors. Townsend represented both Scotland and the British and Irish Lions winning 82 caps for Scotland (twice as captain) and two for the Lions. He has played club rugby in Scotland, Australia, England, South Africa, and France.

Playing career

Townsend was first with Gala RFC, coming through from their ranks from the mini section.[1] He won his first full cap for Scotland in March 1993. In the 1999 Five Nations Championship, Townsend scored a try against every other country, becoming the first Scotsman since 1925 to achieve this feat.[2] His efforts helped Scotland become champions.

In 1995 Gregor joined Northampton Saints and then joined Brive in 1998. In 2000 he stayed in France but moved to Castres. In 2004, free to travel the world after being relieved of Scotland duties, he represented the Natal Sharks in the then Super 12 and played the 2004–05 season with Montpellier in France. He returned to the Borders for the 2005–06 season as a player and coach.

Coaching

Townsend was appointed Backs Coach to the Scotland national team in 2009. He was then appointed Attack Coach the following season. In 2012 Townsend was appointed by the SRU to the position of Head Coach to the Glasgow Warriors.

When Townsend took over Glasgow Warriors from Sean Lineen the side had just been to play-offs in the Pro12 the previous season, finishing 4th in the league. He made consistent progress in the league with Glasgow Warriors; in his first year they finished third. In the 2013–14 season the team finished 2nd and made it to the end of season Pro12 play-off final losing to Leinster in Dublin. In his third season, 2014–15, the Warriors finished first in the Pro12 League and beat Munster in the play-off final, becoming the first Scottish side to lift the trophy.[3] Since the Pro12 officially started in 2011–12 Glasgow Warriors are the only team in the league to have made the play-offs in every year.

Toonie flip

This is the name of the magical reverse pass which Gregor gave to Gavin Hastings for Scotland to register a dramatic and famous last-minute 23–21 victory against France in Paris in 1995.

Honours and awards

Townsend was awarded a MBE in the 1999 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to rugby.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Morrison, Iain (6 May 2007). "Borders legend Toony looks back on a career far less ordinary". The Scotsman. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "Gregor Townsend". The Scotsman. 2 May 2002. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Glasgow Warriors: Finn Russell eyes longer stay". BBC News. 11 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "Queen's Birthday Honours: The Full List". The Independent. 12 June 1999. Retrieved 12 June 2015.

Bibliography

External links

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