Paul Moriarty (rugby)
Encyclopedia
W. Paul Moriarty is a Welsh
former international rugby union
and rugby league
footballer. He is currently employed as assistant coach at Newcastle Falcons
.
A tough second row or back row forward, he played his club rugby for Swansea
and was in the Wales rugby union squad
for the 1987 Rugby World Cup
, helping his country to third place and scoring a try in the 22–21 third place playoff victory over Australia
. His older brother, Richard
, also played rugby union for Swansea and Wales.
Moriarty later switched to rugby league and played with Halifax
and Widnes
, with whom he won the 1989 World Club Challenge
against the Canberra Raiders
. He was also included in the Wales rugby league squads
for the 1995 and 2000 World Cups
.
Moriarty returned to rugby union after the 2000 Rugby League World Cup
and rejoined Swansea. After coach John Plumtree's departure in November 2001, Moriarty became player-coach and, along with Tony Clement
, ensured Swansea qualified for the 2002–03 Heineken Cup
despite being fourth from bottom of the Welsh-Scottish League when they took over.
Welsh professional rugby was regionalised
in time for the 2003–04 season, at which time Moriarty joined the Llanelli Scarlets
as forwards coach, becoming part of then-head coach Gareth Jenkins'
backroom staff. He remained at the club throughout the following tenures of Phil Davies
and Nigel Davies. He became head coach of Principality Welsh Premiership
champions Cardiff
for the 2009–10 season, and although the Arms Park
club qualified for the playoffs despite only finishing seventh, they fell at the first hurdle to Llanelli
.
On 21 May 2010, Guinness Premiership
club Newcastle Falcons announced that they had appointed Moriarty as an assistant coach to his former Widnes team-mate Alan Tait
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
former international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer. He is currently employed as assistant coach at Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons
The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...
.
A tough second row or back row forward, he played his club rugby for Swansea
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
and was in the Wales rugby union squad
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
for the 1987 Rugby World Cup
1987 Rugby World Cup
The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two...
, helping his country to third place and scoring a try in the 22–21 third place playoff victory over Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
. His older brother, Richard
Richard Moriarty
Richard Moriarty is a former international Wales rugby union player. He played on 23 occasions for his country, either as a 2nd row or back row forward scoring 2 tries and captained Wales on 8 occasions....
, also played rugby union for Swansea and Wales.
Moriarty later switched to rugby league and played with Halifax
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
and Widnes
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
, with whom he won the 1989 World Club Challenge
1989 World Club Challenge
The 1989 World Club Challenge was the third ever and first official World Club Challenge match. 1989's NSWRL season premiers, the Canberra Raiders traveled to England to play against 1988–89 RFL champions, Widnes.The match was played on Wednesday, 4 October at Old Trafford, Manchester...
against the Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
. He was also included in the Wales rugby league squads
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
for the 1995 and 2000 World Cups
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
.
Moriarty returned to rugby union after the 2000 Rugby League World Cup
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...
and rejoined Swansea. After coach John Plumtree's departure in November 2001, Moriarty became player-coach and, along with Tony Clement
Tony Clement (rugby player)
Tony Clement is a former Welsh international rugby union player. He played as a fullback and was awarded 37 caps for Wales, scoring 3 tries and a drop goal. He played at the 1991 Rugby World Cup finals and at the 1995 Rugby World Cup finals...
, ensured Swansea qualified for the 2002–03 Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
despite being fourth from bottom of the Welsh-Scottish League when they took over.
Welsh professional rugby was regionalised
Introduction of regional rugby union teams in Wales
The introduction of regional rugby union teams in Wales occurred prior to the start of the 2003/04 rugby union season. From this date, Wales was represented by a smaller number of regional teams in both the Celtic League and European Cup competitions, where previously the top club sides were...
in time for the 2003–04 season, at which time Moriarty joined the Llanelli Scarlets
Llanelli Scarlets
The Scarlets are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Llanelli, south-west Wales the team play at the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, as well as competing in the LV= Cup and the Heineken Cup...
as forwards coach, becoming part of then-head coach Gareth Jenkins'
Gareth Jenkins
Gareth Jenkins is a former Welsh rugby union footballer, and former head coach of the Welsh national team. After a long and distinguished career at Llanelli RFC, Jenkins was appointed Wales coach in 2006, succeeding Mike Ruddock...
backroom staff. He remained at the club throughout the following tenures of Phil Davies
Phil Davies
Phil Davies is a Welsh former rugby union footballer of the 1980s and 90s.-Rugby career:Davies played his club rugby for Llanelli and enjoyed a distinguished 46 cap career for Wales between 1985 and 1995...
and Nigel Davies. He became head coach of Principality Welsh Premiership
Welsh Premier Division
The Welsh Premier Division is a rugby union league in Wales first implemented by the Welsh Rugby Union for the 1990–91 season.-Competition history:...
champions Cardiff
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
for the 2009–10 season, and although the Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
club qualified for the playoffs despite only finishing seventh, they fell at the first hurdle to Llanelli
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
.
On 21 May 2010, Guinness Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
club Newcastle Falcons announced that they had appointed Moriarty as an assistant coach to his former Widnes team-mate Alan Tait
Alan Tait
Alan V. Tait is a Scottish rugby footballer and coach. He is currently head coach at Newcastle Falcons and a former rugby league and rugby union footballer who played outside centre for Scotland and the British and Irish Lions...
.