Richard Graham (rugby union)

Richard Graham
Full name Richard Graham
Date of birth (1972-08-05) 5 August 1972
Place of birth Charleville, Queensland
School Marist College Ashgrove
Rugby union career
Current status
Position(s)  
Playing career
Position Fullback
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1991–1993
1994–2002
GPS
Easts
Provincial/State sides
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1998–2002 Reds 13 (25)
Super Rugby
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1998–2002 Reds 2 (0)
Sevens national teams
Years Club / team Comps
1998–2002 Australia
Coaching career
Years Club / team
2014–16
2010–12
2009
Queensland Reds
Western Force
Saracens RFC

Richard Graham (born 5 August 1972) is an Australian rugby union coach and former head coach of the Queensland Reds and Western Force in Super Rugby.

Early life

Graham was born in central western Queensland (Charleville) and grew up playing rugby league. It wasn't until he went to Marist College Ashgrove as a boarding student aged 12 that he began playing rugby union. Former Wallabies Daniel Herbert, Graeme Bond and Pat Howard were part of Graham's 1st XV in 1990.[1] Graham played for the Australian Schoolboys Rugby Union team that toured Europe in 1990/91 with the likes of Matt Burke, Peter Jorgensen, and Scott Bowen. He completed a Bachelor of Education degree at Queensland University of Technology.

Rugby career

Graham played his club rugby for Easts RFC in Brisbane winning the 1999 Brisbane premiership as captain. He played for Queensland Reds and also Australia A in the 15-a-side game. It was as a Rugby 7s player that Graham was best known. He played for and captained the Australian Rugby 7s team between 1998 and 2002. He attended 2 Commonwealth Games in 1998 (Kuala Lumpur) and 2002 (Manchester).[1]

Coaching career

Richard Graham began his professional coaching career with the Bath RFC in the English Premiership under former Wallaby hooker Michael Foley. In his 4 seasons with the club, he also worked under John Connolly (former Wallaby coach) and Brian Ashton (former England coach). Graham then moved to Saracens RFC where he worked under Eddie Jones (former Wallaby coach) before finishing as Head Coach in 2009.[1]

In June 2009 Graham joined Robbie Deans as Skills Coach of the National team.[1] While in this role he also accepted a position of Assistant Coach to former All Blacks coach John Mitchell at the Western Force. When Mitchell unexpectedly joined the Lions in Johannesburg in September 2010 Graham was promoted Head Coach a year earlier than anticipated.[2][3][4][5]

On 16 April 2012 Graham quit as coach of the Western Force to join the Reds.[6]

The Western Force won 7 of 24 matches under his coaching, while the Queensland Reds won 9 out of 32 matches under his coaching resulting in a win percentage of 28% in Super Rugby. After two games in the 2016 Super Rugby season Graham and the Queensland Reds parted ways.[7]

References

External links

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