Darren Coleman

Darren Coleman (born 1973) is an Australian professional rugby union coach. He is currently head coach of Major League Rugby team LA Giltinis in the United States.

Darren Coleman
Birth nameDarren Coleman
Date of birth1973 (age 47–48)
Place of birthKempsey, New South Wales
Rugby union career
Position(s) Head Coach of LA Giltinis
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1995
1996–1997
1998–2000		 Eastern Suburbs
Newcastle Wildfires
Northern Suburbs		 ()
Teams coached
Years Team
2021–present
2018–2020
2014–2018
2017–2018
2011–2013
2007–2008
2006–2007
2005
2002–2004		 LA Giltinis
Gordon
NSW Country Eagles
Warringah
Toyota Industries Shuttles
L'Aquila
Northern Suburbs
Penrith Emus
Calgary Mavericks

Family and early life

Coleman grew up in Kempsey on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, where he played rugby for the Kempsey Cannonballs team, before moving south to play in the Sydney club rugby competition.[1][2]

His younger brother Scott Coleman also became a professional rugby coach, appointed to Italian club Benevento in 2013.[2]

Rugby career

While attending Southern Cross University in the late 1990s Coleman played for the University Gold Rats alongside Justin Harrison. Coleman played as a fly-half in Sydney's club rugby competition from 1995 to 2000 for Eastern Suburbs, Newcastle Wildfires,[3] and Northern Suburbs.[4] He was a rugby development officer in Newcastle.[3]

Coleman combined playing with coaching in the early part of his career. While playing for Northern Suburbs, he was appointed as head coach of the NSW Waratahs Academy in 1998, and then as a skills coach to the Waratahs for the 2000 Super 12 season.[4] In 2001 he left Australia to take up contract stints as a player-coach with Italian club Benevento and the Calgary Saints and Calgary Mavericks in Canada.[4][5][6]

Coaching

Coleman returned to Australia to coach in the Shute Shield as head coach of the Penrith Emus for the 2005 season. He then returned to Northern Suburbs as head coach for 2006 and 2007. Coleman was also assistant coach to the Central Coast Rays in the Australian Rugby Championship in 2007.[4] He was appointed to professional Italian club L'Aquila for the 2007–08 season. guiding them to a promotion play-off for the Serie A Division.[4]

He joined the Brumbies as head coach of the Brumbies Academy for the 2009 season.[4] Brumbies head coach Andy Friend nominated Coleman as the Brumbies attack coach for the 2011 Super Rugby season, but the appointment was vetoed by the administration.[7] He left for Japan to coach Toyota Industries Shuttles, where he guided the team to gain promotion to the Top League for the 2013–14 season.[8][9]

On returning to Australia again, Coleman was coaching director of Eastern Suburbs from 2014 to 2016. He was appointed head coach of NSW Country Eagles in 2014,[10] and head coach of Sydney club Warringah in 2017.[11] Coleman won the Shute Shield premiership with Warringah in 2017.[12] He was appointed head coach of Gordon in 2018,[12] winning the Shute Shield with that club in 2020.[13]

Coleman was announced as the head coach of Major League Rugby team LA Giltinis in the United States for their inaugural season in 2021.[14]

Honours

References
  1. White, Greg (12 February 2011). "Coffs Rugby prepares to defend". Coff's Coast Advocate. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016.
  2. Gardiner, James (13 September 2013). "Coleman farewells Hawks as coach". Newcastle Herald. Archived from the original on 6 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  3. Gardiner, James (28 July 2005). "Hogg Packs Down For Late-season Cameo". Newcastle Herald. Archived from the original on 6 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  4. "Coleman to coach Brumbies Academy". Rugby Week. 19 September 2008. Archived from the original on 6 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  5. "Australian Coleman returns to Mavericks for 2003 RCSL". Calgary Rugby. 20 February 2003. Archived from the original on 12 October 2006. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  6. Mike Challinor, Mike (10 July 2003). "Who is Darren Coleman?". Calgary Rugby. Archived from the original on 15 November 2003. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  7. Harris, Bret (28 February 2011). "Brumbies' academy coach Darren Coleman accepts job in Japan". The Australian. News. Archived from the original on 6 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  8. "Ashley-Cooper to stay in Australia". msn Sport. 22 March 2013. Archived from the original on 6 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  9. "Toyota Shokki promoted, Sanix relegated". Rugby Redefined. 3 February 2013. Archived from the original on 6 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  10. "Why change a winning formula? The Country Eagles coaching staff and captain confirmed for 2017". NSW Country Eagles. 17 July 2017. Archived from the original on 17 July 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  11. "Shute Shield: Darren Coleman to coach Warringah in 2017". Rugby News. 17 July 2017. Archived from the original on 23 January 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  12. Phillips, Sam (30 October 2020). "Two years ago Gordon won just one game. Now they're favourites to win the Shute Shield title". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 31 August 2020.
  13. Phillips, Sam (31 October 2020). "Gordon break 22-year title drought in dramatic Shute Shield decider". The Age. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020.
  14. "Major League Rugby Officially Welcomes the LA Giltinis" (Press release). Major League Rugby. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  15. 1st Grade Report (PDF). Warringah Rugby Club Annual Report (Report). 2018. pp. 9–10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
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