Richard Hill (rugby union born 1961)

Richard Hill (born 4 May 1961 in Birmingham), is rugby union coach and former English international rugby footballer.

Biography

Born in Birmingham, Hill was educated at Bishop Wordsworth's Grammar School in Salisbury, and Exeter University. Incidentally his namesake, Richard Hill MBE, who was in the England team to win the Rugby World Cup in 2003 also attended Bishop Wordsworth's School and both played for Salisbury Rugby Football Club.

Playing career

Joining Bath Rugby as a scrum-half straight from university, in these amateur times his day job was working for Lloyds Bank. Unlike his half-back partner Stuart Barnes, Hill loved training. Nicknamed Duracell, he spent all his available time there, and his dedication spelled the inevitable introduction of the professional era.^[1]

Coaching career

After assistant posts at Gloucester and Harlequins, Hill also spent a season as head coach of England Students and the backs coach as Ebbw Vale RFC. In 2002 he was appointed head coach of Newport RFC. A year later he joined Bristol Rugby, leading them back to the Guinness Premiership after two seasons, and then to third place and the playoffs in the 2006–7 season. In July 2009, he agreed to join French third division side Chalon-sur-Saône as head coach.^[2]

In May 2010, Hill was named as head coach for Worcester Warriors.^[3] Richard Hill in his first year as head coach, coached the Worcester Warriors back into the Aviva Premiership and held a contract at the Warriors until 2014.

On 16 April 2013, Hill was sacked from his post at Worcester ^[4] "following the club's recent run of form".

References

External links

• Profile at Bath Rugby "Hall of Fame"
• Sporting heroes