Kelly Brown leaves Saracens after 10 years to take up Glasgow coaching role
Saracens have announced that Kelly Brown is to end his 10-association with the club to take up a coaching position with Glasgow Warriors. The Scot joined Saracens from the Warriors in 2010, making over 150 appearances in his seven years playing with the North London club.
Brown’s move follows the announcement that John Dalziel will join Gregor Townsend’s backroom staff as forwards coach in the Scotland national setup after August’s games.
He made an enormous contribution in that period, helping the club win their first ever Premiership and European titles, as well as two further domestic successes and one Champions Cup, before taking up a coaching role in the Saracens Academy in 2017.
Part of a coaching team that oversaw Saracens Storm’s 2018/19 Premiership Rugby Shield triumph, Brown has aided the progression of a number of young forwards during his time in the Academy.
The 38-year-old joins Warriors with immediate effect in the role of assistant coach, and will focus on the contact area.
The Warriors have also confirmed that tighthead prop and assistant coach Petrus du Plessis departed the club at the end of July, having accepted another coaching role, and that Dalziel will become Scotland forwards coach after August’s fixtures.
Dalziel joins the long line of coaches who have made the jump to coaching international rugby directly from Glasgow Warriors including Dave Rennie (Australia), Jonathan Humphreys (Wales) and Gregor Townsend (Scotland).
Brown made 61 appearances in Glasgow colours between 2007 and 2010, and earned 64 caps for Scotland.
“I’ve loved every minute of the past 10 years at Saracens and I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunity gave me to begin my coaching career,” Brown said.
“The club, the people, the fans will always hold a special place in my heart and I would like to thank everyone who has played a part in the journey.”
Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall added: “Kelly has been a fantastic ambassador for Saracens over the past 10 years, as a player and a coach.
“He has made a huge contribution in developing the young talent we have at the club and sets a great example with his passion for the job and his decency as a human being.
🗞️ After 10 years as a Saracen, @kellydrbrown has left the club to take up a coaching position at @GlasgowWarriors.
Thanks for the memories, Kelly, and best of luck!#TogetherSaracens ⚫️🔴
— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) August 3, 2020
“Kelly has got a great opportunity to be part of the senior coaching group at Glasgow Warriors and we wish him and his family all the best with his move back to Scotland.”
Speaking on his move to Warriors, Brown said: “When Danny [Wilson] called, the role ticked so many boxes.”
“It’s a club I’ve got a lot of love for, so I was delighted to accept the offer.
“You take a lot of lessons from your playing career into coaching. I’ve been fortunate enough to have some unbelievable coaches over the years, so you take as many lessons as you can and try to influence your own coaching style.
“There’s a good mix of senior players and younger guys, which is really exciting for me. Seeing where we can take those younger players and take the club to in future is something I’m really looking forward to.
“I’ve coached a number of the boys with Scotland over the last few years, so I know there are some really talented players in the mix. I also know what makes a really successful environment from my time at Saracens, and I’m excited to see where we can go as a club.”
TOP14: @jamesonrugby 👨💻 on Clermont
Key signing 🖋️
Key departure 📤
They say 🗣️
We say 📢https://t.co/sCLSwmKIa8— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 3, 2020
Glasgow Warriors head coach Danny Wilson said “We’re delighted to welcome a coach of Kelly’s quality as we continue to build towards our return to rugby.
“He’s packed a lot into the three years since he hung up his boots, which shows just how highly regarded he is as a coach. He was excellent when I had the chance to work with him as part of the Scotland setup, and I know he’ll bring a lot to the table.
“He not only possesses the experience and expertise through his playing career, but he’s also very good at communicating what he wants with the players.
“As well as a great coach, he’s also a great person to work with and will be an excellent addition to life at Scotstoun as we move forward.
“John’s great work with the Warriors has certainly helped earn him this great opportunity.
“Even in the short time we’ve worked together, John’s attention to detail and work ethic around the contact area has been clear for all to see and he has all the attributes to succeed on the international stage.
“It’s a role in which I know he’ll thrive and succeed, and we wish him all the very best for the new challenge.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
65 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments