Gregor Townsend
| Full name | Gregor Peter John Townsend | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 26 April 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Galashiels, Scotland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Weight | 93 kg (14 st 9 lb) | ||
| School | Galashiels Academy | ||
| University | University of Edinburgh | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Current status | |||
| Position(s) | Retired | ||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Fly-half, centre or fullback | ||
| Amateur clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| 1985–1995 1992, 1995 |
Gala RFC Warringah | ||
| correct as of 7 August 2006. | |||
| Professional / senior clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2005–2007 2004–2005 2004 2002–2004 2000–2002 1998–2000 1995–1998 |
Border Reivers Montpellier Natal Sharks Borders Castres Brive Northampton Saints |
||
| correct as of 14 December 2012. | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1993–2003 1997 |
Scotland British and Irish Lions |
82 2 |
(164) (0) |
| correct as of 7 August 2006. | |||
| Coaching career | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| 2012–present 2008–2012 |
Glasgow Warriors Scotland national rugby union team | ||
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. Townsend is currently Head Coach of the Glasgow Warriors.
Playing career
Townsend was first with Gala RFC, 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.
In the 1999 5-Nations Championship, Townsend scored a try against every other country, becoming the first Scotsman since 1925 to achieve this feat. His efforts helped Scotland become champions.
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.
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.
Coaching
Townsend was appointed Backs Coach to the Scotland nation team in 2008. He was then appointed Attack Coach. In 2012 Townsend was appointed by the SRU to the position of Head Coach to the Glasgow Warriors.
Toonie flip
This is the name of the magical reverse pass which Gregor gave to Gavin Hastings for Scotland to register a dramatic and famous last-minute 23–21 victory against France in Paris in 1995.
References
- Bath, Richard (ed.) The Complete Book of Rugby (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 ISBN 1-86200-013-1)
- Townsend, Gregor Talk of the Toony: The Autobiography of Gregor Townsend (HarperSport, 2007 ISBN 978-0-00-725113-1)
External links
- Townsend sets date for retirement, BBC, 2 June 2006
- Townsend launches kids' summer camps, The Scotsman, 28 June 2006
- Gregor Townsend in the Scotsman newspaper
- Gregor Townsend's Sporting Heroes Profile)
- Townsend admits Test career is over, The Scotsman, 2 May 2006
- Townsend part Gregor groan, part Merlin (Telegraph, 9 March 2003)
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