Steve Redfern
Encyclopedia
Steve Redfern is a former international rugby union
player who played tighthead prop for Leicester Tigers
and .
in 1976. He made over 247 appearances for the club.
He wore the letter C shirt as part of the Leicester front row along with the Leicester and England captain Peter Wheeler and England prop forward Robin Cowling. He also played over 100 games with his brother Stuart who replaced Cowling at prop when he retired.
Redfern played in five John Player Cup finals, losing the first one to Gloucester, then winning against Moseley
, London Irish
, and Gosforth
.
, having played various England games for which they did not award caps. He remained a part of the England set up, and played for England B and for the full England team, until he left to go to Rugby league in 1985 with Sheffield Eagles
.
He played for the Midlands Rugby team against the All Blacks
and in the 1978/1979 season.
He returned from Sweden in 1993 to take over the Nuneaton rugby club
. While at Nuneaton he became involved in coaching the west Midlands women's team, then moving on to the Midlands team. His success with them led to a position with the national set up, at first working with the England A team, and then the senior squad. Redfern worked with the team through the six national and European championships.
In 1993, while still working in the women's game, Redfern moved back to his first junior club, Coalville in Leicestershire, as head of rugby. He led the first team to win the league, developed all the Mini/Junior squads and participated in coach development.
In 2006 Redfern left Coalville and worked with the Sheffield club before returning to Leicestershire to spend time working as an adviser to several clubs, including the Leicestershire under 18 squad.
In 2007 he went to Feltre
rugby team as director of rugby.
In 2009 Redfern was voted onto the Leicester Tigers
walk of legends.
In 2009, after the promotion of Asd Rugby Feltre, he went to Berliner Rugby Club as director of rugby.
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 tighthead prop for Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
and .
Early years
Redfern signed for Leicester Tigers from school, and played for the youth team. He made his Leicester debut against NottinghamNottingham R.F.C.
Nottingham Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club based in Nottingham, England. The club's first team currently play in the Championship, the second tier of English Rugby....
in 1976. He made over 247 appearances for the club.
He wore the letter C shirt as part of the Leicester front row along with the Leicester and England captain Peter Wheeler and England prop forward Robin Cowling. He also played over 100 games with his brother Stuart who replaced Cowling at prop when he retired.
Redfern played in five John Player Cup finals, losing the first one to Gloucester, then winning against Moseley
Moseley Rugby Football Club
Moseley Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club, based at Billesley Common in Birmingham, that competes in the RFU Championship. The club was historically the premier rugby club in Birmingham, reaching the final of the John Player Cup three times in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
, London Irish
London Irish
London Irish RFC is an English rugby union club based in Sunbury, Surrey, where the senior squad train, the youth teams and senior academy play home games, and the club maintain their administrative offices. The senior squad play home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading and compete in the top...
, and Gosforth
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...
.
International career
Redfern was selected for England under 23s in his first year of eligibility, and gained a place in the England under 23 team that toured Canada at the end of the 1977 season. He made his full England debut on 14 February 1984 against at TwickenhamTwickenham 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...
, having played various England games for which they did not award caps. He remained a part of the England set up, and played for England B and for the full England team, until he left to go to Rugby league in 1985 with Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009....
.
He played for the Midlands Rugby team against the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
and in the 1978/1979 season.
Rugby League
His time as a Rugby League player was cut short by injury, and Redfern retired from the game.Coaching record
Redfern spent several years fighting with the RFU to be reinstated to Rugby Union. Redfern was allowed to come back to Rugby Union as a coach, starting with the local Leicestershire team Wigston. He later coached the Swedish club Pingvin in 1990/92 and led them to a win in the Swedish Championships.He returned from Sweden in 1993 to take over the Nuneaton rugby club
Nuneaton R.F.C.
Nuneaton RFC is an English rugby union club. They were founded in 1879 and play at Liberty Way in Nuneaton. They currently play in National League 2 North.-History:...
. While at Nuneaton he became involved in coaching the west Midlands women's team, then moving on to the Midlands team. His success with them led to a position with the national set up, at first working with the England A team, and then the senior squad. Redfern worked with the team through the six national and European championships.
In 1993, while still working in the women's game, Redfern moved back to his first junior club, Coalville in Leicestershire, as head of rugby. He led the first team to win the league, developed all the Mini/Junior squads and participated in coach development.
In 2006 Redfern left Coalville and worked with the Sheffield club before returning to Leicestershire to spend time working as an adviser to several clubs, including the Leicestershire under 18 squad.
In 2007 he went to Feltre
Feltre
Feltre is a town and comune of the province of Belluno in Veneto, northern Italy. A hill town in the southern reaches of the province, it is located on the Stizzon River, about 4 km from its junction with the Piave, and 20 km southwest from Belluno...
rugby team as director of rugby.
In 2009 Redfern was voted onto the Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
walk of legends.
In 2009, after the promotion of Asd Rugby Feltre, he went to Berliner Rugby Club as director of rugby.