Clive Woodward
As of April 15, 2008
Sir Clive Ronald Woodward OBE (born 6 January 1956 in Ely ) is a former English rugby union player and spent seven years as coach of the England national team, with whom he won the title at the 2003 World Championships. He also coached the British and Irish Lions.
Playing career
Woodward began his career in 1974 at the Harlequins, played there at first but only for a season, because he had enrolled for a sports studies at Loughborough University. This he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. He continued his athletic career in 1979 at the Leicester Tigers continued and a year later the first part of the squad the England team during the game against Ireland. This was followed by 21 international appearances, the last on 17 March 1984, when England met Wales. Due to its attractive style of play, he was for two tours, in 1980 and 1983, the British and Irish Lions considered. In 1985 Woodward occupationally to Australia, but continued to play rugby. By 1990, he was active for the club Manly RUFC and could not participate in a training Wallabies, the Australian team.
Coaching career
After his time in Australia he returned to the UK to start his own company. At the same time he took over as coach at the Henley Hawks. It was followed by three years at the London Irish before he went for a short time to Bath, to work there as an assistant coach. When Jack Rowell resigned from the post of national coach in 1997, Woodward was hired for this position.
The rugby had become professionally for a short time and Woodward's task is to adjust the England team to the changes was. In the 1999 World Cup England succeeded to penetrate into the quarter-finals, where defending champion South Africa was beaten. The greatest success in the coaching career Woodward and of English rugby total followed but at the next World Cup in Australia. Before the tournament, the British surprise successes had retracted and were regarded as dark horses for the title. Jonny Wilkinson decided the final against the hosts by jumping kick and caused quite the first world title for England.
At the beginning of 2004, he was awarded the Knight Bachelor and now bears the title " Sir ". With the Six Nations in the same year, the English national team was only third, the following test matches against New Zealand and Australia was also right disappointing. Against the All Blacks England succeeded in two games, not a single attempt against the Wallabies, there was a sensitive 51:15 defeat. Due to the poor performance of the team Woodward from his position as national coach gave up in September.
Prior to his post at the end he had been appointed as coach of the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand in 2005. All three games against the All Blacks lost, the public criticized mainly Woodward for the poor performance of the team. The criticism was directed primarily to the compilation of the squad, which consisted mainly of English players in the world championship team of 2003. Him mishandling of the players and the media representatives were also accused.
Achievements / Title
As a player
As coach
- 2003 World Cup with the England team
Farewell to rugby
After the end of the Lions tour, he tried his luck in football. His first and last stop was at Southampton FC, where he only stayed for a year. During this time, the accumulated problems with journalists and key representatives of the association, so that a continuation of his commitment was impossible. In September 2006 it was announced that Woodward part of the National Olympic Committee of Great Britain would be as "Director of Elite Performance." In March 2008, he received the honor of was to participate in the Olympic torch relay in London.