Scott Johnson (rugby coach)
Encyclopedia
Scott Johnson is an Australia
n rugby union
coach
.
and Eastwood
, and was captain of both the New South Wales Waratahs
and Australian Under 21s. Playing initially at fly half and then at centre, he played senior rugby for New South Wales Waratahs.
Following an invitation from Graham Henry
, Johnson left Australia to work with the then struggling Wales
in the Six Nations Championship
as Skills Coach. Working briefly under Henry and then for two years under Steve Hansen
, Johnson was an integral member of the Welsh coaching staff during the 2003 Rugby World Cup
. He remained with Wales when Hansen left in 2004 and was involved with Wales for their 2005 Grand Slam. Following the resignation of Mike Ruddock
in 2006, Johnson took over as head coach on a temporary basis, ending his career with Wales in Cardiff
after three games: a 31-5 defeat to Ireland in Dublin, an 18-18 draw against Italy in Cardiff, before going down to eventual Champions France
21–16.
In light of family pressures, he accepted an approached from new Wallabies
head coach John Connolly
to become Australia's attack coach in preparation for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
.
Following a disastrous campaign and the reorganisation of the coaching staff, Johnson was released from this role following the 2007 World Cup
and the signing of Robbie Deans
as the new head coach of Australia. Johnson was linked with a move to the Cardiff Blues
as skills coach, but decided not to accept this offer. Johnson’s decision to say no to the Blues led to speculation linking him with the ambitious Ospreys. On 20 March 2008, the BBC reported that Johnson has accepted the head coaching position for the US Eagles national team.
In January 2009, Johnson was linked with a move to coach the Ospreys. On 29 January, he was confirmed as the Ospreys' new director of coaching. He joined the team after he served a three-month notice period required by his USA contract.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n 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...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
.
Playing career
Playing as a fly half or a centre, Johnson played for Parramatta Two BluesParramatta Two Blues
Parramatta Two Blues Rugby are a rugby union club based in the second CBD of Sydney, Parramatta.-History:The club was originally formed in 1879 as Cumberland but changed their name to Parramatta when the District competition was implemented in 1900....
and Eastwood
Eastwood Rugby Club
Eastwood Rugby Club is a rugby union club playing in the Sydney grade competition. The club is based at T G Millner Field, named in honour of its benefactor Colonel Tom Millner MC VD, and the club's players and supporters are primarily drawn from the Northern Suburbs and Hills District of Sydney....
, and was captain of both the New South Wales Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
and Australian Under 21s. Playing initially at fly half and then at centre, he played senior rugby for New South Wales Waratahs.
Coaching career
Johnson started his coaching career with Penrith in the Sydney First Grade competition, and was named Club Coach of the Year in 1999. Johnson then worked as an Assistant Coach at New South Wales Waratahs in 2001, as well as an Assistant for the Australia A team who defeated the British & Irish Lions in Gosford.Following an invitation from Graham Henry
Graham Henry
Graham Henry is a New Zealand Rugby Union coach, and former head coach of the country's national team, the All Blacks. He played rugby union for Canterbury and cricket for Otago in the Plunket Shield. Henry was heavily criticized following the All Blacks quarterfinal exit at the 2007 Rugby World...
, Johnson left Australia to work with the then struggling Wales
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...
in the Six Nations Championship
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
as Skills Coach. Working briefly under Henry and then for two years under Steve Hansen
Steve Hansen
Steve Hansen is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player.He was the head coach of the Welsh national team. He became the ninth Welsh coach in 13 years, after Graham Henry parted company with the Welsh Rugby Union in 2002. During his first game in charge, Wales performed well but lost by...
, Johnson was an integral member of the Welsh coaching staff during the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
. He remained with Wales when Hansen left in 2004 and was involved with Wales for their 2005 Grand Slam. Following the resignation of Mike Ruddock
Mike Ruddock
Mike Ruddock, OBE is a Welsh rugby union coach, currently coach of the Ireland Under-20 Rugby Union Team and Lansdowne FC . Ruddock was the coach of the Worcester Warriors until his resignation on 28 April 2010 following their relegation from the Guinness Premiership...
in 2006, Johnson took over as head coach on a temporary basis, ending his career with Wales in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
after three games: a 31-5 defeat to Ireland in Dublin, an 18-18 draw against Italy in Cardiff, before going down to eventual Champions France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
21–16.
In light of family pressures, he accepted an approached from new Wallabies
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...
head coach John Connolly
John Connolly (rugby)
John "Knuckles" Connolly is a rugby union coach and the former head coach of the Wallabies. Connolly has in the past worked with the Queensland Reds, Stade Français, Swansea RFC as well as Bath Rugby....
to become Australia's attack coach in preparation for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
.
Following a disastrous campaign and the reorganisation of the coaching staff, Johnson was released from this role following the 2007 World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
and the signing of Robbie Deans
Robbie Deans
Robert Maxwell Deans is the current coach of the Wallabies and former All Black. He is the former coach of the Crusaders. He also served as assistant to former All Blacks coach John Mitchell between late 2001 and 2003...
as the new head coach of Australia. Johnson was linked with a move to the Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
as skills coach, but decided not to accept this offer. Johnson’s decision to say no to the Blues led to speculation linking him with the ambitious Ospreys. On 20 March 2008, the BBC reported that Johnson has accepted the head coaching position for the US Eagles national team.
In January 2009, Johnson was linked with a move to coach the Ospreys. On 29 January, he was confirmed as the Ospreys' new director of coaching. He joined the team after he served a three-month notice period required by his USA contract.