Jim Williams (rugby union)

Jim Williams (born 8 December 1968) is a former international rugby union player and coach. He was most recently assistant coach to the Australian national rugby union team. Williams was head coach of the Greater Sydney Rams in the National Rugby Championship during 2015, succeeding Brian Melrose

Jim Williams

Birth name	R.W. Williams
Date of birth	(1968-12-08) 8 December 1968 (age 55)
Place of birth	Young, New South Wales, Australia
Height	193 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	113 kg (17 st 11 lb; 249 lb)[1]
Occupation(s)	Assistant coach
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker /Number eight Current team Retired Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) ? Young ? (?) ? Wests ? (?) 1994–95 W. Hartlepool ? (?) 1996 Waratahs ? (?) 1997 Warringah ? (?) 1998–2001 Brumbies ? (?) 2001–05 Munster 74 (74) 2015 Greater Sydney Rams () International career Years Team Apps (Points) ?-1999 Australia (sevens) ? (?) 1999–2000 Australia 14 (10) Coaching career Years Team 2006–07 Munster (Assistant coach) 2007–08 Munster (Forwards coach) 2008–11 Australia (Assistant)
Medal record Men's rugby sevens Representing  Australia Commonwealth Games 1998 Kuala Lumpur Team competition

Early life

Born in Young, New South Wales, Williams played rugby league as a boy. He began rugby union after joining the army at age 17. He played for Young RFC, then moved to Brisbane where he played for Wests Bulldogs.^[2]

West Hartlepool, England

Williams moved to England in 1994 and played one season with West Hartlepool.^[3]

Australian rugby

On returning to Australia, Williams played Sydney club rugby while remaining on the fringes of the NSW Waratahs team. It wasn't until he changed to the back row that he was able to find enough form to be picked up by Eddie Jones at the ACT Brumbies in 1998. It was his form playing for the Brumbies that led to his selection for the Australian squad for the 1999 Rugby World Cup.

Munster & Ireland

After missing Wallabies selection in 2001, Williams accepted a two-year deal with Munster, and soon captained the Irish club. He played 30 Heineken Cup matches for Munster, and scored 15 points. Williams played until 2005 when he was appointed assistant coach.^[4][5][6]

Wallabies assistant coach

He continued in coaching roles at Munster until 2008 when new Wallabies coach Robbie Deans offered him the Assistant Coach role. At the start of Australia's international rugby season in June 2008 Williams took up his new role alongside fellow assistant Michael Foley.^{[1][7][8][9][10]} Williams left the Wallabies in 2011.^[11]

References

1. "Jim Williams profile". ESPN. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
2. Mulqueen, Charlie (11 August 2001). "Williams relishing Munster challenge". Irish Examiner. Ireland: Thomas Crosbie Holdings. Retrieved 9 December 2008.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
3. Hewett, Chris (16 November 2000). "MacQueen opts for pace of Williams". The Independent. London. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
4. Stokes, Jim (23 April 2003). "Williams wants more of the same". BBC. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
5. Thornley, Gerry (16 April 2003). "Captain Jim". Rugby Europe. ERC. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
6. "Jim Williams profile". Ireland: ecrugby.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
7. "Wallaby Role For Jim Williams". Munster Rugby. 9 February 2008. Archived from the original on 17 February 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
8. "Williams named Wallabies assistant". Fox Sports. 11 February 2008. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
9. "Wallabies Profiles – Assistant Coach – Jim Williams". Australian Rugby Union. 2010. Archived from the original on 4 June 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
10. "Wallabies Profiles – Assistant Coach – Jim Williams". Australian Rugby Union. Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
11. "Williams leaves Wallabies role". ESPN. 23 December 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2014.