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Andy Robinson

England international rugby union player

Richard Andrew Robinson OBE (born 3 April 1964) is an English rugby union coach and retired player. He was the director of rugby at Bristol until November 2016. He is the former head coach of Scotland and England. From September 2019 to December 2022, he was the head coach of the Romanian national team.

Robinson played as an openside flanker for Bath, England and the British & Irish Lions. He was head coach of England from October 2004 until November 2006, then coach of Edinburgh Rugby and joint coach of Scotland A between October 2007 and June 2009. On 4 June 2009 Robinson was named the new head coach of Scotland. He resigned on 25 November 2012 following a 21-15 defeat at home against Tonga.

01Playing career

Born in Taunton, Somerset, Robinson made his England debut against Australia on 12 June 1988, and gained eight caps, playing his last match on 18 November 1995 against South Africa. Robinson was quite small for a back row forward, being only 5 ft 9in (1.75 m), and weighing 13 st 12 lb (88 kg). He played 6 non-international games for the British & Irish Lions on their 1989 tour of Australia.

02Teaching

Whilst playing for Bath, Robinson taught mathematics, physical education and rugby at Writhlington School, King Edward's School, Bath and later Colston's Collegiate School in Bristol, where he and Alan Martinovic masterminded the school's Daily Mail Cup wins in 1995 and 1996. 'Robbo' then left to play rugby professionally with Bath.

03Coaching

Robinson later coached Bath before being appointed forwards coach of England and was deputy to Clive Woodward with the World Cup-winning England side in 2003. When Woodward resigned from the role of England coach in September 2004, Robinson was named as acting coach before being confirmed in the position. He was also a coach on the Lions tours to Australia in 2001 and New Zealand in 2005.

Robinson won just nine of his twenty two matches in charge of England. In November 2006, it was confirmed that Robinson would remain head coach with the position reviewed after the two tests against South Africa. Defeat in the second test increased demands from supporters that he should be replaced. On 29 November his resignation as head coach was announced, with Robinson blaming his lack of support from the RFU.

International matches as head coach with England

Note: World Rankings Column shows the World Ranking England was placed at on the following Monday after each of their matches

Matches (2004-2006)
Matches Date Opposition Venue Score
(Eng.-Opponent)
Competition Captain World
Rank
2004
1 13 November Canada Twickenham, London 70-0 Autumn internationals Jason Robinson 3rd
2 20 November South Africa 32-16 2nd
3 27 November Australia 19-21 2nd
2005
4 5 February Wales Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 9-11 Six Nations Jason Robinson 3rd
5 13 February France Twickenham, London 17-18 4th
6 27 February Ireland Lansdowne Road, Dublin 13-19 6th
7 12 March Italy Twickenham, London 39-7 Martin Corry 6th
8 19 March Scotland 43-22 6th
9 12 November Australia 26-16 Autumn internationals 5th
10 19 November New Zealand 19-23 4th
11 26 November Samoa 40-3 5th
2006
12 4 February Wales Twickenham, London 47-13 Six Nations Martin Corry 5th
13 11 February Italy Stadio Flaminio, Rome 31-16 3rd
14 25 February Scotland Murrayfield, Edinburgh 12-18 4th
15 12 March France Stade de France, Paris 6-31 5th
16 18 March Ireland Twickenham, London 24-28 5th
17 11 June Australia Stadium Australia, Sydney 3-34 Australia test series Pat Sanderson 6th
18 17 June Docklands Stadium, Melbourne 18-43 6th
19 5 November New Zealand Twickenham, London 20-41 Autumn internationals Martin Corry 6th
20 11 November Argentina 18-25 6th
21 18 November South Africa 23-21 7th
22 25 November 14-25 6th

Record by country

Opponent Played Won Drawn Lost Win ratio (%) For Against
 Argentina 10010001825
 Australia 410302566114
 Canada 1100100700
 France 20020002349
 Ireland 20020003747
 Italy 22001007023
 New Zealand 20020003964
 Samoa 1100100403
 Scotland 21010505540
 South Africa 32010676962
 Wales 21010505624
TOTAL 229013041 543 451

In the summer of 2007, the Scottish Rugby Union appointed Robinson the new head coach of Edinburgh Rugby, as well as joint coach of Scotland A with Glasgow coach Sean Lineen. In his first season as coach, he guided Edinburgh to the highest ever finish by a Scottish side at that time in the Celtic League (joint 3rd), despite numerous international players leaving the previous summer for more lucrative contracts in England and France. The following season (2008-09) Edinburgh leap-frogged Leinster and the Ospreys on the final day of the competition to finish runners-up behind Munster. Edinburgh also finished highest points scorers. He stepped down in June 2009 to take up the role of head coach of Scotland, replacing Frank Hadden. Although his time as Scotland coach included a 2-0 series win in Argentina and home wins over Australia and South Africa, the latter advancing Scotland to a record sixth place in the world rankings, his stint ended after a string of disappointing results, culminating in defeat by Tonga on 24 November 2012 which was followed a day later by his resignation.

International matches as head coach with Scotland

Matches (2009-2012)
Matches Date Opposition Venue Score
(Sco.-Opponent)
Competition Captain
2009
1 14 November Fiji Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 23-10 Autumn internationals Chris Cusiter
2 21 November Australia Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 9-8
3 28 November Argentina Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 6-9
2010
4 7 February France Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 9-18 Six Nations Chris Cusiter
5 13 February Wales Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 24-31
6 27 February Italy Stadio Flaminio, Rome 12-16
7 13 March England Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 15-15
8 20 March Ireland Croke Park, Dublin 23-20
9 12 June Argentina Estadio José Fierro, Tucumán 24-16 Summer Tour Alastair Kellock
10 19 June José María Minella, Mar del Plata 13-9
11 13 November New Zealand Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 3-49 Autumn Internationals Mike Blair
12 20 November South Africa Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 21-17 Rory Lawson
13 27 November Samoa Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen 19-16
2011
14 5 February France Stade de France, Paris 21-34 Six Nations Alastair Kellock
15 12 February Wales Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 6-24
16 27 February Ireland Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 18-21
17 13 March England Twickenham Stadium, London 16-22
18 19 March Italy Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 21-8
19 6 August Ireland Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 10-6 2011 RWC warm-ups Rory Lawson
20 20 August Italy Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 23-12 Alastair Kellock
21 10 September Romania Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill 34-24 2011 Rugby World Cup Alastair Kellock
22 14 September Georgia Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill 15-6 Rory Lawson
23 25 September Argentina Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington 12-13
24 1 October England Eden Park, Auckland 12-16 Alastair Kellock
2012
25 4 February England Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 6-13 Six Nations Ross Ford
26 12 February Wales Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 13-27
27 26 February France Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 17-23
28 10 March Ireland Aviva Stadium, Dublin 14-32
29 17 March Italy Stadio Olimpico, Italy 6-13
30 5 June Australia Hunter Stadium, Newcastle 9-6 Summer Tour Ross Ford
31 16 June Fiji Churchill Park, Lautoka 37-25
32 23 June Samoa Apia Park, Apia 17-16
33 11 November New Zealand Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 22-51 Autumn Internationals Kelly Brown
34 17 November South Africa Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 10-21
35 24 November Tonga Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen 15-21

Record by country

Opponent Played Won Drawn Lost Win ratio (%) For Against
 Argentina 42020505550
 Australia 22001001814
 England 40130004966
 Fiji 22001006035
 France 30030004775
 Georgia 1100100156
 Ireland 42020506779
 Italy 42020506249
 New Zealand 200200025100
 Romania 11001003424
 Samoa 22001003632
 South Africa 21010503138
 Tonga 10010001521
 Wales 30030004382
TOTAL 3515119043 469 671

On 18 February 2013 it was announced by Bristol Rugby club that Andy Robinson was joining the club as the new director of rugby and in 2016 Bristol gained promotion to the Aviva Premiership under him.

04Personal life

Robinson is a vegetarian. He has four children; Olly Robinson who currently plays for the Cardiff Blues; Ed Robinson, who is assistant coach at Jersey Reds; Henry; and one daughter, Charlotte Robinson.

Robinson attended Loughborough University between 1982 and 1986. He received a BSc in Physical Education and Sports Science in 1985 and then PGCE the following year.

05Career record

Record as England player: Games played 8, Won 4, Lost 3, Drawn 1; 1 try (vs France)

Record as England head coach: Games coached 22, Won 9, Lost 13, Drawn: 0

  • Biggest Win: Canada 70-0 (November 2004)
  • Biggest Loss (home or away): Australia 34-3 (June 2006)
  • Biggest Loss (home): New Zealand 20-41 (November 2006)

Record as Scotland head coach: Games coached 35, Won 15, Lost 19, Drawn 1

Watch videos about Andy RobinsonExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article Andy Robinson, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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