Brian Ashton (rugby player)
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W. Brian Ashton (born 3 September 1946 in Leigh, Lancashire) is the current England national rugby union team's Head Coach, appointed 20 December 2006.
He played as a scrum-half. His England "career", amouted to his being an unused bench replacement on 15 March 1975 England v Scotland.
Brian Ashton is widely recognized as one of the finest backs coaches in world rugby. Arguably, England played their most attractive and attacking rugby while Ashton was Sir Clive Woodward's assistant from 1998 to 2002. Ashton, who, in his first spell as Head Coach, led Bath to their last domestic trophy in 1996, built his credentials on an expansive approach. As Assistant Coach of Bath, under Jack Rowell, he helped establish Bath as the kings of English rugby for a decade to the mid-1990s.
Ashton has previously said, "My main strength is as a coach. I see my job as improving players individually, to do the technical work with them, and also to establish the environment, the framework, in which the players operate." However, Ashton also has a reputation as an imaginative tactician who thinks deeply about Rugby. In Ashton’s philosophy the backs comprise three creative forces (the scrum-half, the fly-half and the inside-centre) and four penetrative finishers (the outside- centre, the two wings and the full-back).
Brian Ashton was the RFU’s National Academy Manager from 2002 to 2005. In this role Ashton played a key part in the launch of England Rugby’s National Academy system since its inception in 2002, creating the Junior and Senior National Academies to develop the most talented players at England A, Sevens, Under 21 and Under 19 level.
His coaching career also included an unsuccessful and brief spell as National Coach of Ireland (I.R.F.U)(1997-98). Ashton had been awarded a six year contract by the IRFU but resigned barely 12 months later after a series of disappointing results and against a background where private arguments or disagreements with the team manager - Pat Whelan - were frequently aired in public.
In 2005, Ashton returned to Bath as head coach, but in 2006 he left this role, and was appointed as England attack coach to assist head coach Andy Robinson, alongside forwards' coach John Wells and defence coach Mike Ford.
On 20th December 2006 Ashton was appointed England head coach, following the departure of Andy Robinson. He chose Phil Vickery as his captain. Ashton won his first two games in charge of the England team, firstly the Calcutta Cup tie against Scotland and secondly beating Italy at Twickenham, but lead the English team to a crushing defeat against the Irish National Team on his third outing. The 43-13 defeat by Ireland was England's worst ever defeat by Ireland in the 132 years of competition between the two sides.
Contents |
[edit] Playing history
England North, Barbarians, Lancashire, Tyldesley, Fylde, Orrell, AS Montferrand, Roma, Milan, England tourist
[edit] Coaching history
- England Head Coach (2006-)
- England Attack Coach (2006-2006)
- National Academy Manager (2002-2005)
- England A and Churchill Cup
- England Assistant coach (1998-2002)
- Ireland head coach (1997-1998)
- Bath head coach (1994-1996, 2005-2006)
- Bath assistant coach (1989-94).
- Coach of the famous John Barneby (second-row for King's School Bruton (1994-97).
- For a brief spell between lamentable shoulder injuries, coached the excellent Rory Nunn (Outside Centre/Wing for King's School Bruton 1993-1998).
[edit] Other
Brian also taught history and coached various sports at King's School Bruton, Somerset in the late 80's and early 90's, where his wife also worked as a teacher
| Preceded by Andy Robinson |
English national rugby coach 2006- |
Succeeded by incumbent |
| Preceded by Murray Kidd |
Irish national rugby coach 1997 - 1998 |
Succeeded by Warren Gatland |
