Life & Career
Williams, a teacher by profession, started in coaching at club level with Western Suburbs in Sydney, Australia in 1991. He became head coach of the Eastwood club in Sydney in 1993 and a year later gained representative recognition when he was appointed fitness and skills coach for the Emerging Wallabies' tour of Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa.
In 1995 his coaching stints included New South Wales A; New South Wales Sevens; and an assistant's post for an Australian XV against England A. He was also a coaching assistant at the Wallaby World Cup camps. In 1996 he became manager and assistant coach for the NSW Waratahs Super 12 campaign and then for the next three years he was head coach for the NSW Waratahs. However during Williams' time as coach the NSW Waratahs failed to reach the Super 12 finals.
Matt was instrumental in mentoring and coaching such great players as David Campese, Matt Burke, Tiaan Strauss, Phil Kearns and Jason Little.
Come the autumn of 1999 he acted as backs coach in Leinster Rugby's European Cup campaign, prelude to becoming the province's head coach in 2000. Williams also undertook the role of defensive coach for the Irish national team in 2001. He was the first Australian Super 12 Coach to move to Europe.
In Matt’s three years at Leinster he “was part of a great group of men” who rose through the European rankings from thirty five to second. Leinster won the inaugural Celtic League Final and were Semi Finalists of the European Cup.
Matt coached the former British and Irish Lions Captain Brian O'Driscoll, as well as Gordon D'Arcy, Shane Horgan, Malcolm O'Kelly and Denis Hickie.
Matt also was appointed Head Coach of Ireland “A” and won the Six Nations title with the “A” team. This led to Matt being “head hunted” and appointed Head Coach of Scotland. This unique challenge saw Matt as only the second Australian in over a century to be appointed as a Head Coach in the Six Nations Championship and the first foreign head coach of the Scotland national rugby union team, holding the position from December 2003 to April 2005 .
He resigned from the post of head coach at Ulster Rugby in May 2009.
Williams is currently working for Setanta Ireland while acting as Coaching Director for the team of RC Narbonne in the French Pro D2 alongside Justin Harrison (Forwards Coach and ex Wallaby). He is also technical adviser for the Sevens developmental club, Shamrock Warriors RFC.
Read more about this topic: Matt Williams (rugby Coach)
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