Alan Tait
Encyclopedia
Alan V. Tait is a Scottish
rugby footballer and coach. He is currently head coach at Newcastle Falcons
and a former rugby league
and rugby union
footballer who played outside centre for Scotland
and the British and Irish Lions
. He played club rugby for Kelso and the Newcastle Falcons
.
Tait has changed codes twice in his life, once going from rugby union to rugby league, and then going the other way after union became professional.
, where his father, Alan Senior, was playing for Workington Town
.
Between 1988 and 1996 he switched codes to rugby league
and appeared for Widnes
and Leeds
, playing in challenge cup finals in 1994 and 1995. He also gained representative honours for Great Britain
and Scotland
.
During the 1989–90 Rugby Football League season, he played for defending champions Widnes at fullback in their 1989 World Club Challenge
victory against the visiting Canberra Raiders
.
Tait won the Harry Sunderland Trophy
in both 1989 and 1990.
In 1992 he played from the bench in Great Britain's loss to Australia in the World Cup final at Wembley Stadium
.
he was restored to that role by Frank Hadden
.
Currently, Tait serves as the head coach of Newcastle Falcons
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
rugby footballer and coach. He is currently head coach at Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons
The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...
and a former rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who played outside centre for Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
and the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
. He played club rugby for Kelso and the Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons
The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...
.
Tait has changed codes twice in his life, once going from rugby union to rugby league, and then going the other way after union became professional.
Rugby League
Unlike many other cross-code converts of the period, Tait had the benefit of growing up in CumbriaCumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, where his father, Alan Senior, was playing for Workington Town
Workington Town
Workington Town is a professional rugby league club playing in Workington in West Cumbria. They play in the Championship 1. Their stadium is called Derwent Park, which they share with Workington Comets, a speedway team....
.
Between 1988 and 1996 he switched codes to rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and appeared for Widnes
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
and Leeds
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
, playing in challenge cup finals in 1994 and 1995. He also gained representative honours for Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
and Scotland
Scotland national rugby league team
The Scotland national rugby league team represent Scotland in international rugby league football tournaments. The team is run under the auspices of the Scotland Rugby League, and are nicknamed The Bravehearts. Scotland are not regarded as a test nation...
.
During the 1989–90 Rugby Football League season, he played for defending champions Widnes at fullback in their 1989 World Club Challenge
1989 World Club Challenge
The 1989 World Club Challenge was the third ever and first official World Club Challenge match. 1989's NSWRL season premiers, the Canberra Raiders traveled to England to play against 1988–89 RFL champions, Widnes.The match was played on Wednesday, 4 October at Old Trafford, Manchester...
victory against the visiting Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
.
Tait won the Harry Sunderland Trophy
Harry Sunderland Trophy
The Harry Sunderland Trophy is awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in the Super League Grand Final by the Rugby League Writers' Association. It is named after Harry Sunderland, who was an Australian rugby league football administrator in both Australia and the United Kingdom...
in both 1989 and 1990.
In 1992 he played from the bench in Great Britain's loss to Australia in the World Cup final at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
.
Coaching
Though he was dismissed as defence coach of the Scottish national team by Matt WilliamsMatt Williams (rugby coach)
Matt Williams is an Australian rugby union coach from New South Wales.Williams, a teacher by profession, started in coaching at club level with Western Suburbs in Sydney, Australia in 1991...
he was restored to that role by Frank Hadden
Frank Hadden
Frank Hadden is a Scottish rugby union coach. He is a former head coach of Scotland and Edinburgh Rugby.Hadden replaced Matt Williams and was appointed on 15 September 2005. Hadden coached the Merchiston Castle School 1st XV after being appointed Head of Physical Education at the school in 1983...
.
Currently, Tait serves as the head coach of Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons
The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...