Nigel Melville
Encyclopedia
Nigel David Melville is a former England national rugby union team
scrum half and captain.
He became the youngest player to captain England on his début when he led them against Australia in November 1984. He went onto make another twelve appearances over the next four years.
He attended Aireborough Grammar School and North East London polytechnic. He played club rugby for Otley R.U.F.C.
, Wakefield RFC
and Wasps FC
.
He was captain of the England Schools 19 age group on their tour to New Zealand and Australia in 1979, England B – the youngest captain at the time, England Under 23 on their tour of Romania in 1983. He captained the full England side seven times, winning four games.
He was a replacement for the injured Terry Holmes on the British Lions tour to New Zealand in 1983 but picked up a spinal injury in his second game and took no further part on the tour.
He also toured with England to Argentina in 1981, North America in 1982 and New Zealand in 1985.
His career was blighted by a number of serious injuries including a serious neck injury, shoulder damage, five knee operations and a chipped ankle. These partly restricted the number of matches he played for England.
On retirement, he entered coaching and as Director of Rugby at Wasps R.F.C.
, Melville coached the team to their first professional Premiership title in 1996, followed by three National Cup Final appearances, winning two. In 2002 he moved to Gloucester Rugby, winning the Zurich Championship Final, Powergen Cup
and topped the Zurich Premiership table by a record 15 clear points. He left in 2005
During his playing career, Melville was the Head of UK Promotions for Nike
working alongside elite athletes from a wide range of sports. He was appointed CEO and President of Rugby Operations for USA Rugby
on 11 October 2006.
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
scrum half and captain.
He became the youngest player to captain England on his début when he led them against Australia in November 1984. He went onto make another twelve appearances over the next four years.
He attended Aireborough Grammar School and North East London polytechnic. He played club rugby for Otley R.U.F.C.
Otley R.U.F.C.
Otley Rugby Union Football Club is an English rugby union club representing Otley in the City of Leeds district of West Yorkshire. Founded in 1865 it broke away from the RU in 1895...
, Wakefield RFC
Wakefield RFC
Wakefield RFC was an English rugby union club, founded in 1901, and which dropped out of the English leagues in 2004 as a result of the effects of professionalism...
and Wasps FC
Wasps FC
Wasps FC is the amateur side of the Wasps rugby union club formed in 1867. The men's first team was split from Wasps FC at the turn of professionalism, for the 1996-97 season, to become Wasps RFC, owned by Chris Wright, and later became London Wasps in the summer of 1999...
.
He was captain of the England Schools 19 age group on their tour to New Zealand and Australia in 1979, England B – the youngest captain at the time, England Under 23 on their tour of Romania in 1983. He captained the full England side seven times, winning four games.
He was a replacement for the injured Terry Holmes on the British Lions tour to New Zealand in 1983 but picked up a spinal injury in his second game and took no further part on the tour.
He also toured with England to Argentina in 1981, North America in 1982 and New Zealand in 1985.
His career was blighted by a number of serious injuries including a serious neck injury, shoulder damage, five knee operations and a chipped ankle. These partly restricted the number of matches he played for England.
On retirement, he entered coaching and as Director of Rugby at Wasps R.F.C.
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
, Melville coached the team to their first professional Premiership title in 1996, followed by three National Cup Final appearances, winning two. In 2002 he moved to Gloucester Rugby, winning the Zurich Championship Final, Powergen Cup
EDF Energy Cup
The Anglo-Welsh Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the LV Cup , is an English and Welsh rugby union knock-out cup competition featuring the twelve Aviva Premiership clubs and four Welsh Regions...
and topped the Zurich Premiership table by a record 15 clear points. He left in 2005
During his playing career, Melville was the Head of UK Promotions for Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
working alongside elite athletes from a wide range of sports. He was appointed CEO and President of Rugby Operations for USA Rugby
USA Rugby
USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. It is divided into seven territorial Unions: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Coast, Southern California, South, and West...
on 11 October 2006.