Andy Robinson

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Andy Robinson
England "First Team" training session.
Personal information
Full name	Andrew Robinson
Date of birth	April 3 1964 ( 1964-04-03) (age 44)
Place of birth	Taunton, Somerset
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight	13 st 0 lb (88 kg)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Flanker
Clubs		Caps	(points)
1986-1997	Bath Rugby
National team(s)		Caps	(points)
1988-1995	England	8	(4)
Coaching career
1997-2000 2004-2006 2007-present 2007-present	Bath Rugby England Edinburgh Rugby Scotland A

Andy Robinson OBE (born 3 April 1964 in Taunton, Somerset) is a former English rugby union footballer who played openside flanker for Bath and England. He was head coach of England from October 2004 until his resignation on 29 November 2006^[1]. He has been coach of Edinburgh Rugby since October 2007^[2] and coaches Scotland A with Sean Lineen.

[edit] Biography

Robinson made his England debut against Australia on 12 June 1988, and gained eight caps before playing his last match on 18 November 1995 against South Africa.

Robinson was quite small for a back row forward, being only 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m), and weighing 13 st 12 lb (88 kg), and his career may have suffered from being "too small". Other small opensides, most notably Neil Back suffered from the same problem. (Back later went on to win 66 caps, showing the idea to be wrong.)

Whilst playing rugby for Bath, Robinson taught Mathematics, Physical Education and Rugby at Writhlington School, King Edward's School, Bath and later Colston's Collegiate School, Bristol, where he and Alan Martinovic masterminded the school's Daily Mail Cup wins in 1995 and 1996. 'Robbo' then left to play professionally with Bath.

Robinson later went into coaching, and coached Bath before being appointed forwards coach for the World Cup Winning England side, as deputy to Clive Woodward. When Woodward resigned from the role of England coach in September 2004, Robinson was named as acting coach before being confirmed in the position.

He is now coach of Edinburgh Gunners and will be joint coach of the Scotland A team with Sean Lineen.

[edit] Career as England Head Coach

Robinson won just nine of his twenty two matches in charge after replacing World Cup-winning Sir Clive Woodward in 2004. In November 2006, it was confirmed that Robinson would remain Head Coach with the position reviewed after the two tests against South Africa. Defeat in the second test ^[3] increased demands from supporters that he should be replaced. The following Monday, November 27th 2006, the BBC reported that Robinson was to resign or face the sack.^[4]. On November 29 his resignation as head coach was announced, with Robinson blaming his lack of support from the RFU ^[5].

During the summer of 2007, it was announced by the SRU that Andy Robinson was to become the new head coach of Edinburgh Rugby, where he has since become a hugely popular figure. In his first season as coach, he guided Edinburgh to their highest ever finish in the Magners League (3rd), despite numerous International players leaving the previous summer for more lucrative contracts in England and France.

[edit] Career record

International

Career Record (as England "first fifteen" player): Played 8, Won 4, Drawn 1, lost 3^[6]

International (as England Head Coach)

Career Record: Games Coached 22 (November 2004 — November 2006)

Won: 9 Lost: 13 Drawn: 0

Biggest Win (all): Canada 70-0 (November 2004)

Biggest Loss (all): Australia 34-3 (June 2006)

Biggest Loss (home): New Zealand 20-41, at Twickenham on 5th November 2006.

[edit] External links

• Rugby Football union
• Planet-rugby stats
• Sporting Heroes

[edit] References

msn.foxsports.com/rugby/story/7284738?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=231