Gregor Townsend
Encyclopedia
Gregor Peter John Townsend MBE
(born 26 April 1973 in Galashiels
) is a former Scottish
rugby union
player who played at fly-half, full back and latterly centre.
He represented both Scotland
and the British and Irish Lions
winning 82 caps
for Scotland (twice as captain) and two for the Lions.
He is currently the Scotland
attack coach alongside Andy Robinson
having joined in 2009 under Frank Hadden
and coaching previously at the defunct Borders
club.
, coming through from their ranks from the mini section. He won his first full cap
for Scotland
in March 1993, as substitute for Craig Chalmers
in the Five Nations match against England
at Twickenham
.
In 1995 Gregor joined Northampton Saints
and joined the winning 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa
. He left Northampton Saints
in 1998 for the French club Brive
.
When Rob Wainwright
was injured in 1996, Townsend became captain of .
In 2000 he moved to Castres
and then returned to Scotland to play with The Borders.
Townsend represented Scotland
at the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup, but afterwards was most controversially deemed surplus to requirements by Scotland coach Matt Williams
at just thirty years old. (The new Scottish coach Frank Hadden
has decided to return Townsend to the national squad.)
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 and during that time represented the Scottish based sevens
side, Bone Steelers at the 2005 Dubai Sevens
.
In 2009 Townsend represented the Bone Steelers again at the Dubai Sevens
as part of their Veterans Tens squad that reached the semi-finals.
Gregor scored a try in every game in the last ever Five Nations Championship in 1999.
Richard Bath writes of him that:
for Scotland to register a dramatic and famous last-minute 23-21 victory against France in Paris in 1995.
newspaper: "In my mind, a third team in Scotland is absolutely priceless because we need as many players exposed to professional rugby week in, week out as we can get." (From a report dated January 3, 2005)
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 26 April 1973 in Galashiels
Galashiels
Galashiels is a burgh in the Scottish Borders, on the Gala Water river. The name is often shortened to "Gala" .Galashiels is a major commercial centre for the Scottish Borders...
) is a former Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
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...
player who played at fly-half, full back and latterly centre.
He represented both 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...
winning 82 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for Scotland (twice as captain) and two for the Lions.
He is currently the 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...
attack coach alongside Andy Robinson
Andy Robinson
Richard Andrew 'Andy' Robinson OBE is an English rugby union coach and retired player. He is currently the head coach of Scotland.Robinson played as an openside flanker for Bath, England and the British and Irish Lions...
having joined in 2009 under 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...
and coaching previously at the defunct Borders
Border Reivers (Rugby)
Border Reivers, originally known as 'Scottish Borders Rugby' and also known as 'The Borders' were one of four professional rugby union teams in Scotland, alongside Edinburgh, Caledonia Reds and Glasgow Warriors....
club.
Playing career
Townsend was first with Gala RFCGala RFC
Gala Rugby Football Club are a rugby union team based in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, founded in 1875, they play their home games at Netherdale....
, coming through from their ranks from the mini section. He won his first full cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
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...
in March 1993, as substitute for Craig Chalmers
Craig Chalmers
Craig Minto Chalmers is a former Scottish rugby union footballer for Melrose.-International career:The fly-half represented Scotland and the British Lions at international level...
in the Five Nations match against England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
.
In 1995 Gregor joined Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
and joined the winning 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa
1997 British Lions tour to South Africa
The 1997 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa was a series of matches played by the British and Irish Lions rugby union team in South Africa.This tour followed the Lions' 1993 tour to New Zealand and preceded their 2001 tour to Australia....
. He left Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
in 1998 for the French club Brive
CA Brive
Club Athlétique Brive Corrèze Limousin is a French rugby union team founded in 1910 and based in Brive-la-Gaillarde in the département of Corrèze of the Limousin région . They wear black and white and play in the Stade Amédée-Domenech .- History :The club was created on 15 March 1910 established on...
.
When Rob Wainwright
Rob Wainwright
Robert Iain Wainwright is a former rugby union footballer who was capped 37 times for Scotland and once for the British Lions. He played flanker. He was educated at Glenalmond College and Magdalene College, Cambridge where he represented Cambridge University R.U.F.C..He received his first cap in...
was injured in 1996, Townsend became captain of .
In 2000 he moved to Castres
Castres Olympique
Castres Olympique is a French rugby union club located in the Midi-Pyrénées city of Castres and currently competing in the top level of the French league system.Founded in 1898, the club took its current name in 1906...
and then returned to Scotland to play with The Borders.
Townsend represented 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...
at the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup, but afterwards was most controversially deemed surplus to requirements by Scotland coach Matt Williams
Matt 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...
at just thirty years old. (The new Scottish coach 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...
has decided to return Townsend to the national squad.)
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 and during that time represented the Scottish based sevens
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
side, Bone Steelers at the 2005 Dubai Sevens
Dubai Sevens
The Dubai Sevens is an annual rugby union sevens tournament held in Dubai, UAE. Through the 2007 edition, it was held at the Dubai Exiles Rugby Ground, but in 2008 it moved to The Sevens, a new stadium built to host the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens. The 2009 competition took place between 3-5...
.
In 2009 Townsend represented the Bone Steelers again at the Dubai Sevens
Dubai Sevens
The Dubai Sevens is an annual rugby union sevens tournament held in Dubai, UAE. Through the 2007 edition, it was held at the Dubai Exiles Rugby Ground, but in 2008 it moved to The Sevens, a new stadium built to host the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens. The 2009 competition took place between 3-5...
as part of their Veterans Tens squad that reached the semi-finals.
Gregor scored a try in every game in the last ever Five Nations Championship in 1999.
Richard Bath writes of him that:
- "The contrast between Northampton fly-half Gregor Townsend and his great rival, MelroseMelrose RFCMelrose Rugby Football Club, located in the town of Melrose in the Scottish Borders, is one of the oldest rugby clubs in the world.-History:The club was formed in 1877 and was elected to full membership of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1880...
's Craig ChalmersCraig ChalmersCraig Minto Chalmers is a former Scottish rugby union footballer for Melrose.-International career:The fly-half represented Scotland and the British Lions at international level...
, could not be greater. When the youthful prodigy Townsend was first drafted into a Scotland side dominated by the boot of Chalmers since 1989, his brief was to instil a running game more suited to the mobile rucking style the Scots were determined to pursue under coaching guru Jim TelferJim TelferJames "Jim" Telfer is a Scottish rugby union coach and a former rugby player. A former headmaster at Hawick High School and chemistry teacher, he has won fame as a Scottish forwards coach who gave punishing training sessions to his players...
. Although a true flair merchant, Townsend certainly struggled to fulfil that brief, most notably in 1993 at TwickenhamTwickenham StadiumTwickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
when EnglandEngland national rugby union teamThe England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
's Stuart BarnesStuart BarnesStuart Barnes is a former English rugby union footballer, and now rugby commentator for Sky Sports. Barnes played fly-half for Newport RFC, Bristol, Bath; and represented England and the British Lions at international level.-Biography:Born in Essex, Barnes was educated at Rougemont and Bassaleg...
exposed the full extent of his defensive frailties. Yet class will out, and Townsend's ability to find a gap and use his extraordinary pace off the mark to glide through were always likely to see him through. Indeed, it was Townsend's ability to read a game and the remarkable sleight of hand which produced his inside pass to Gavin HastingsGavin HastingsAndrew Gavin Hastings, OBE is a former Scotland rugby union player. He is frequently considered one of the best, if not the best, rugby player to come out of Scotland. His nickname is "Big Gav".Hastings was born in Edinburgh...
for the try that saw Scotland win for the first and only time at the Parc des PrincesParc des PrincesThe Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed...
in 1995."
Toonie flip
This is the name of the magical reverse pass which Gregor gave to Gavin HastingsGavin Hastings
Andrew Gavin Hastings, OBE is a former Scotland rugby union player. He is frequently considered one of the best, if not the best, rugby player to come out of Scotland. His nickname is "Big Gav".Hastings was born in Edinburgh...
for Scotland to register a dramatic and famous last-minute 23-21 victory against France in Paris in 1995.
Views
Townsend strongly supported the existence of The Borders rugby team, despite financial problems. As he told The ScotsmanThe Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
newspaper: "In my mind, a third team in Scotland is absolutely priceless because we need as many players exposed to professional rugby week in, week out as we can get." (From a report dated January 3, 2005)
External links
- Townsend sets date for retirement, BBC, June 2, 2006
- Townsend launches kids' summer camps, The Scotsman, June 28, 2006
- Gregor Townsend in the Scotsman newspaper
- Gregor Townsend's Sporting Heroes Profile)
- Townsend admits Test career is over, The Scotsman, May 2, 2006
- Townsend part Gregor groan, part Merlin (Telegraph, March 9, 2003)