Budge Pountney
Encyclopedia
Anthony Charles Pountney (born 13 November 1973 in Southampton
) is the former Director of Rugby at Northampton Saints
rugby union
club. He formerly played at flanker
for Northampton
and Scotland
. He captained Scotland
.
Pountney was eligible for Scotland by virtue of a grandmother born in the Channel Islands
; as a dependency of the Crown outside of the United Kingdom, people from the Islands are eligible to represent whichever of the Home Nations
they choose.
He started his Rugby career playing for the Winchester rugby football club mini rugby sides and from an early age it was evident that he would be a star of the future. He attended Kings' School
and Peter Symonds College
in Winchester
and De Montfort University
. In January 2003 he left Murrayfield
in frustration for the last time, after speaking his mind very plainly on the problems he saw there. Late in 2004 he became head coach of Northampton Saints, together with former England fly-half and teammate Paul Grayson
. In July 2005 he became Director of Rugby.
Since quitting top class rugby, he has worked as an independent citing officer, reviewing English Rugby Premiership matches.
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
) is the former Director of Rugby at Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
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...
club. He formerly played at flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
for Northampton
Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
and Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
. He captained Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
.
Pountney was eligible for Scotland by virtue of a grandmother born in the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
; as a dependency of the Crown outside of the United Kingdom, people from the Islands are eligible to represent whichever of the Home Nations
Home Nations
Home Nations is a collective term with one of two meanings depending on the context. Politically, it means the nations of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom...
they choose.
He started his Rugby career playing for the Winchester rugby football club mini rugby sides and from an early age it was evident that he would be a star of the future. He attended Kings' School
Kings' School
Kings' School is a comprehensive school in Winchester, Hampshire. The last Ofsted inspection returned an overall outstanding classification, with 30 out of a possible 31 sections of the report being considered as outstanding. Kings' School currently has Specialist status as a Business and...
and Peter Symonds College
Peter Symonds College
Peter Symonds College is a sixth form college in Winchester, Hampshire, in the south of England. It is one of the largest sixth form colleges in Britain.-Admissions:...
in Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
and De Montfort University
De Montfort University
De Montfort University is a public research and teaching university situated in the medieval Old Town of Leicester, England, adjacent to the River Soar and the Leicester Castle Gardens...
. In January 2003 he left Murrayfield
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
in frustration for the last time, after speaking his mind very plainly on the problems he saw there. Late in 2004 he became head coach of Northampton Saints, together with former England fly-half and teammate Paul Grayson
Paul Grayson (rugby player)
Paul James Grayson is the assistant head coach ofNorthampton Saints rugby union club. He formerly played at fly-half for Northampton and England. He is known as "Larry" or "Grase"....
. In July 2005 he became Director of Rugby.
Since quitting top class rugby, he has worked as an independent citing officer, reviewing English Rugby Premiership matches.
External links
- Saints Profile
- Pountney born again after the turmoil (The Scotsman, January 8, 2005)