Danny Wilson (rugby union)

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Danny Wilson
Date of birth (1976-07-31) 31 July 1976 (age 47)
Place of birthWeston-super-Mare, England
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Hooker
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
- Hornets
Weston Super Mare
Cardiff Metropolitan University
Treorchy
()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
- Bristol U21 ()
Coaching career
Years Team
2008-10
2010-12
2012
2012-14
2014-15
2015-18
2018-20
2020-22
2023
Cardiff Blues
Scotland (forwards coach)
Glasgow Warriors
Harlequins
(lineout coach)

Danny Wilson is a professional rugby union coach. He is lineout and contact coach at Harlequins.[1] He was previously a head coach at Glasgow Warriors.[2]

He was born in the West Country in Somerset, near

Hooker.[4]

Playing career

Amateur career

Wilson began playing rugby union for a couple of Weston-super-Mare sides; Hornets and Weston-super-Mare.[4] He moved to Cardiff to study and then played for Cardiff Metropolitan University.[4]

He also played a year with Treorchy.[4]

Professional career

Wilson played for Bristol Bears under 21 side.[5]

Coaching career

Club

A degenerative disc problem in his back ended Wilson's playing career at the age of 25; and Wilson moved into coaching.[4]

He secured a job coaching at

Cardiff Blues academy before being named as London Welsh head coach in 2008.[6]

Wilson has coached three of the four Welsh regions being forwards coach at

Cardiff Blues in 2015, replacing Mark Hammett in the role.[7]

Wilson from 2014 to 2015 was

Cardiff Blues as head coach.[8]

After three seasons in Cardiff, it was announced that he would be leaving at the end of the 2017/18 season to join Wasps as Forwards coach.[9] He subsequently pulled out of that deal with Wasps, when the Forwards coach role with the Scotland team became available.[10]

Glasgow Warriors

In 20 November 2019, Wilson was announced as the new head coach of Glasgow Warriors for the 2020-21 season, succeeding Dave Rennie.[2]

Wilson stated: “I’ve been extremely impressed with the Scottish system in recent years and I’m looking forward to working with an exciting and talented squad of players at the Warriors. I want to build on the high-tempo style of play that I know the fans love and pay to see week in, week out."[2]

He officially took over as head coach of Glasgow Warriors on 1 June 2020.[11]

Glasgow Warriors finished 8th in the league in the 2021-22 season, and following a huge 76-14 loss against Leinster in the quarter-finals - the second worse loss in the team's history - on 6 June 2022, Wilson was relieved of his position as head coach.[12]

Harlequins

Wilson joined Harlequins as a lineout and contact coach on 12 January 2023, ahead of the 2023-24 season.[1]

International

Wilson also coached the Wales U20s team in the 2012 Junior World Championship[13] where the Welsh side defeated the Baby Blacks 9-6 in the group stage.[citation needed] Wales were knocked out in the semi-finals by the Baby Blacks but claimed the Bronze medal defeating Argentina in the third place playoff.[citation needed]

It was announced in 2018 that he would be joining the Scottish National side coaching team as forwards coach.[14]

Personal life

While playing in Wales, Wilson married Welsh international player Rachel Poolman.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Danny Wilson to join Quins coaching team". www.quins.co.uk.
  2. ^ a b c "Wilson named new Head Coach". Glasgow Warriors.[dead link]
  3. ^ a b "New Scotland forwards coach Danny Wilson shares Townsend philosophy". The Scotsman. JPI Media. 28 October 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e Thomas, Simon (20 June 2015). "The Danny Wilson interview: 'I've cut my teeth, now I'm in the deep end'". Wales Online. Reach.
  5. ^ "Guinness PRO12 Big Interview: Danny Wilson". Cardiff Blues. 3 January 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Danny Wilson: Scotland lure prompts U-turn for innovative coach". BBC Sport. 13 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Cardiff Blues confirm Danny Wilson as new head coach". BBC Sport. 11 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Danny Wilson leaves Bristol to join Cardiff Blues as head coach". The Guardian. Press Association. 11 June 2015.
  9. ^ "Danny Wilson: Cardiff Blues coach appointed assistant coach at Wasps". BBC Sport. 14 December 2017.
  10. ^ "Wasps 'disappointed' as Danny Wilson reneges on move to join Scotland as assistant coach". Sky Sports. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  11. ^ Scott, Steve (26 May 2020). "Dave Rennie leaving a month early as Danny Wilson takes over at Scotstoun". The Courier. DC Thomson Media. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  12. ^ "Danny Wilson stood down by Glasgow Warriors in wake of comprehensive defeat".
  13. ^ "Wales announce Junior World Cup squad". Wales Online. 30 April 2012.
  14. ^ "Danny Wilson". Scottish Rugby Union. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.