Ian McGeechan

Sir Ian McGeechan

Date of birth	30 October 1946 (1946-10-30)
Place of birth	Headingley, Leeds, Yorkshire, England
School	Allerton Grange
University	Carnegie Physical Training College
Occupation(s)	Director of Rugby
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Fly-half, Outside centre
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1964–1979	Headingley
correct as of 19 November 2007.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1972–1979 1974 & 1977	Scotland British and Irish Lions	32 8	(21) (3)
correct as of 19 November 2007.
Coaching career
Years	Club / team
2005–2009 1999–2003 1993–1999 1988–1993 1989, 1993 & 1997 2005 2009	London Wasps (director of rugby) Scotland Northampton Scotland British and Irish Lions British and Irish Lions (midweek side) British and Irish Lions
correct as of 19 November 2007.
Rugby union career

Sir Ian Robert McGeechan OBE (born 30 October 1946) is a Scottish former rugby union player and coach. His nickname is "Geech".

Playing career

Born in Leeds, England, he played for Headingley and made his debut for Scotland in 1972. He won thirty-two caps, playing at fly-half and centre. He captained Scotland on nine occasions. He toured with the British and Irish Lions in both 1974 and 1977.

Coaching

In 1986, McGeechan became the assistant Scotland coach to Derrick Grant and in 1988 he was promoted to coach. In 1990, his team won a Grand Slam victory in the Five Nations Championship. His forwards coach and partner was Jim Telfer.

McGeechan was the British and Irish Lions Head Coach in 1989, 1993, 1997 and 2009. In 2005, he coached the midweek side on the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand on the invitation of Sir Clive Woodward.

In 1994, McGeechan was appointed as Director of Rugby at Northampton and in 1999 replaced Jim Telfer as Scottish Director of Rugby.

McGeechan was appointed Director of Rugby at London Wasps in 2005 after an unsuccessful and unhappy period as the Scottish Director of Rugby. In his first season of 2005/06 he led Wasps to the Powergen Anglo Welsh Cup title, beating Llanelli Scarlets in the final at Twickenham. In his second season, London Wasps claimed the Heineken Cup.

In February 2010, McGeechan joined the coaching staff at Gloucester as an advisor to Head Coach Bryan Redpath and his coaching team. but moved to local rivals Bath Rugby to take up the post of performance director in June 2010.

Teaching

McGeechan taught sport and geography at Fir Tree Middle School and Moor Grange County Secondary School in Leeds. He was also Head Boy in the 1960s. During the 1970s and 1980s he was a teacher at Fir Tree Middle School, Leeds, again specialising in geography and sport.

Honours

McGeechan was knighted in the 2010 New Years Honours List for his services to rugby.

Sources

• Bath, Richard (ed.) The Complete Book of Rugby (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 ISBN 1 86200 013 3)
• McGeechan, Ian Lion Man: The Autobiography (Simon and Schuster, ISBN 1847376029)

External links

• Sir Ian McGeechan official website

Preceded by Derrick Grant Jim Telfer

Scotland national rugby union team coach 1988–1993 1999–2003

Succeeded by Jim Telfer Matt Williams