Jim Williams (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Jim Williams is a rugby union
coach and former player. Williams is currently assistant coach to the Australian national rugby union team.
in country New South Wales
, Williams grew up playing rugby league
. It was not until he joined the army
at the age of 17 that he began to play rugby union. Williams later played club rugby in his hometown for Young RFC before moving to Brisbane
where he played for West Brisbane.
to play for West Hartlepool R.F.C.
where he stayed for a season.
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
. Williams played 14 tests for the national team between 1999 and 2000.
for a two year deal Williams accepted. On arriving in Ireland
Williams anticipated that he would only be there for the term of the contract but it ended up being a stay of over six years. Not long after arriving at Munster Williams was appointed captain. His leadership role continued after his retirement in 2005 when he was appointed assistant coach. Williams represented Munster 30 times in Heineken Cup
matches, scoring 15 points.
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.
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 and former player. Williams is currently assistant coach to the Australian national rugby union team.
Early life
Born in the town of YoungYoung, New South Wales
-Demographics:On census night, 7 August 2001, there were 6,821 people counted in Young. There were 238 people who identified as being of Indigenous origin in the 2001 Census...
in country New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Williams grew up playing 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...
. It was not until he joined the army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
at the age of 17 that he began to play rugby union. Williams later played club rugby in his hometown for Young RFC before moving to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
where he played for West Brisbane.
English rugby
In 1994 Williams moved to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to play for West Hartlepool R.F.C.
West Hartlepool R.F.C.
West Hartlepool Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club who play in the National League 3 North league after gaining promotion by winning the 2010 / 2011 North 1 East league.-History:...
where he stayed for a season.
Australian rugby
On returning to Australia, Williams played SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
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
Eddie Jones (rugby)
Eddie Jones is a rugby union coach and former player.-Coaching career:...
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
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
. Williams played 14 tests for the national team between 1999 and 2000.
Ireland
After not being selected for the Wallabies in 2001, despite good performances for the Brumbies, Williams decided it was time to look elsewhere. When an offer came from MunsterMunster Rugby
Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
for a two year deal Williams accepted. On arriving in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Williams anticipated that he would only be there for the term of the contract but it ended up being a stay of over six years. Not long after arriving at Munster Williams was appointed captain. His leadership role continued after his retirement in 2005 when he was appointed assistant coach. Williams represented Munster 30 times in 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,...
matches, scoring 15 points.
Wallabies assistant coach
He continued in coaching roles at Munster until 2008 when new Wallabies coach Robbie DeansRobbie 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...
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.