Justin Burnell

Justin Burnell

Birth name	Justin Burnell
Date of birth	(1967-05-29) 29 May 1967
Place of birth	Wales
Rugby union career
Position(s) Head Coach Current team London Welsh Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) Cardiff Pontypridd Bridgend Neath () International career Years Team Apps (Points) Wales A Coaching career Years Team Pontypridd RFC Cardiff RFC Wales U21's Wales U19's Cardiff Blues London Welsh Correct as of 8 July 2011

Justin Burnell (born 29 May 1967) is a Welsh former rugby footballer and now a rugby union coach.

During his playing career as a back row forward Burnell played for Cardiff RFC, Pontypridd RFC and Neath RFC. He also gained Wales A Honours.

Burnell was Academy Director at Welsh regional side Cardiff Blues and Head Coach at Cardiff RFC. He was also the Head Coach of Wales U19, which won the Grand Slam in 2006. In the same season he coached them to the quarter finals of the FIRA World Cup. Burnell remained the Head coach of the U19's the following year when they reached the semi-final of the FIRA World Cup in Belfast.

He was appointed Forwards Coach of Cardiff Blues in 2008, assisting Dai Young in leading them to a Heineken Cup Semi-Final in 2009, winning the EDF in 2009 and winning the Amlin Challenge Cup in 2010. In July 2011 Burnell and Gareth Baber were appointed Head Coaches of the Cardiff Blues following the resignation of Dai Young, guiding them to the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup - the only Welsh Region to reach the knockout stages that season.

In June 2013, Burnell took up the position of Head Coach for London Welsh. He guided them to promotion after beating big spending Bristol RFC over two legs, winning 27-8 in the first game at the Kassam and then beating them again, 20-21, in the second game at the Memorial Stadium, securing promotion to the Aviva Premiership.

During the 2014/15 season, it has much been publicised that London Welsh have been underfunded by up to £2 million in comparison to other Premiership teams, and were not given a level playing field, making it very difficult for them to compete. In March 2015, Burnell paid the price for this and parted company with the Exiles.