Tony Benson is a 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...

 coach from New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. Since the 2008-2009 season he has been the head coach of Oldham Roughyeds

Oldham Roughyeds

Oldham Roughyeds is an English professional rugby league club based in Oldham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Championship One. Oldham is one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895....

 in the British Rugby League National Championship 1.

New Zealand

Benson, coached Bartercard Cup

Bartercard Cup

The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...

 team Hibiscus Coast Raiders

Hibiscus Coast Raiders

The Hibiscus Coast Raiders are a rugby league club based on the Hibiscus Coast, New Zealand. They compete in Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition and between 2000 and 2005 were also involved in the Bartercard Cup competition.-History:...

 from 2001–2005, as well as the Junior Kiwis

Junior Kiwis

The Junior Kiwis side represents New Zealand in the sport of rugby league. They are commonly known as the Junior Kiwis, after the native bird of that name. They are not necessarily an age grade side, but the second national team behind the New Zealand national rugby league team. They are...

 team from 2003-2005.

Great Britain

Moving to Britain in September 2005, Benson took charge of Leigh Centurions

Leigh Centurions

Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...

. Leigh's relegation from Super League

Super League

Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...

 had been all but confirmed at the time of his appointment and he knew his task would be to lead the club back to the top. He replaced Darren Abram

Darren Abram

Darren Abram is am English rugby league coach, formerly of Leigh Centurions and Rochdale Hornets.Abram cut his coaching teeth with Chorley Lynx in National League Two and was taken on by Leigh Centurions, with a view to taking them into the Super League, in October 2003. He accomplished this in his...

, who left the club in September 2005. In his only season in charge, Benson led the Centurions to cup glory, defeating Hull KR

Hull Kingston Rovers

Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...

 in the Northern Rail Cup final.

Benson parted company with Leigh Centurions

Leigh Centurions

Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...

 after the club's defeat to Batley Bulldogs

Batley Bulldogs

Batley Bulldogs are an English professional rugby league club from Batley, West Yorkshire. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Batley is one of the original twenty-two rugby football clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895...

 in the 2006 NL1 play offs. Following the announcement, a number of Leigh's coaching staff and management left the club, resigning to show solidarity with Benson.

In 2007, Benson coached the Ireland A squad in the four nations championship. He also led the Irish Wolfhounds on a tour of New Zealand.

He was appointed head coach of the London Skolars

London Skolars

London Skolars are a rugby league club based at the New River Stadium, Wood Green, Haringey in North London. They were founded in 1995 and have been semi-professional since 2003, operating in Championship One...

 in December 2007 to replace Latham Tawhai

Latham Tawhai

Latham Tawhai is a rugby league coach and former player from New Zealand. He has also represented his country in softball.-Playing career:...

, who left to become the understudy coach at neighbours Harlequins RL.