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
No Nick, they did not, in fact, justify any ‘probables’ label. At no time did they seriously compete for the championship. Ireland led from start to finish and in the end, as a result of glaring referee errors, were never under serious pressure to lose their crown.
28 Go to commentsMoney for him, and his family, has been the sole motivator since he signed for Queensland aged 17. Why else sign for Melbourne. Tupou is poorly advised. If he’d stayed and developed in NZ he would have had a long Test career. If Leinster offer him a few more coins than he’s currently earning, he’s goneburger.
4 Go to commentsFinn. No one would say Ford had played well up until the last game. One standout performance in 5 is hardly in form . It should be a given that a 10 will control play . Not in Fords case be praised for suddenly doing so. Where was he against Scotland ,Italy. The pundits were saying how far away from play he was standing and one even said that the Ireland game was his last chance saloon to perform . Not exactly top form catching anyones eye. If he can play like this game after game then great. Keep him in . But after 90 odd caps we all know he just doesnt keep it going . By all means keep him there but the issue is that Borthwick will persist even when he plays poorly. Which is more often than not. Thats why i am concerned that Smith ,despite fab form , cannot get a game at his preferred spot. Can you imagine Ford at full back .
5 Go to commentsI do not really get why put Ollivon at 6 when he’s a 7, while Cros was the best Frenchman of the tournament, playing at…6. His only game replacing Aldritt at 8 doesn’t change much in terms of his impact. Lamaro was also outstanding in that brilliant Italian side, probably better than Reffell. So putting 2 Welsh players from the wooden spoon holders, and none of the 4th nation (Scotland) is also strange. Is it about showing that in this harsh transition Wales is, there were some standouts…?
6 Go to commentsThe events at this year’s six nations should undermine many of the arguments made against promotion and relegation between the six nations and the REC. If Italy had been allowed to yo-yo between divisions it conceivably could have really hurt their development, but if Italy, Wales, and Scotland are all at risk of relegation, with none of them being relegated more often than once every 3 or 4 years, you’d have to back all of them to muddle on through it, especially when you factor in the likelihood they’ll still be guaranteed world league matches against tier 1 opponents. Another way of looking at italys resurgence would be to say that the development model of adding an extra team to the six nations has worked, and now must be done again. Georgia could join to make it a 7 team round robin, and if and when Georgia demonstrate an ability to consistently win games, Portugal can also be added to make it an 8 team 2 conference competition. Frankly at this point I think it falls to world rugby to demand that the 6N act in the interests of the game. If the 6N won’t commit to expansion then the 6N teams should be handicapped in world cup draws (i.e. world cup seedings would not be based on their ranking points, but on their ranking points minus a 5 point penalty).
5 Go to commentsSteve Borthwick deserves credit for releasing the shackles on his England side and letting them play in a manner that somewhat resembles the top sides in the Gallagher Premiership. Will they revert to type in New Zealand in July.?
28 Go to commentsJames Lowe wouldn't get in any other 6N team. He's a great example of Farrell’s brilliance, and the Irish system. He is slow. His footwork is poor. But he fits perfectly in that Irish system, and has a superb impact. But put him in another team, and he'll look bang average.
6 Go to commentsCrusaders reached their heights through recruitment of North Island players, often leaving those NI teams bereft of key players. Example: Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock robbed the Canes of their lineout and AB locks. For years the Canes have struggled at lock. This rabid recruitment was iniated by rule changes by a Crusader dominated NZR Head Office. Now this aggressive recruitment has back-fired, going after young inside back Hamilton Boys stars. They now have 4 Chiefs region 10s and not one with the requisite experience at Super level. Problems of their own making!
2 Go to commentsOver rated for a long time…exposed at scrum time too.
4 Go to comments“Firing me” should have been Gatland’s answer.
2 Go to commentsFinn Russell logic: “World” = 4 countries. Ireland may be at or near the top. FR’s bigger concern should be he and his fellow Scots (incl. the Bloemfontein ones) sliding back down to below top 10
42 Go to commentsMind games have begun. Ireland learned their lesson after saying they could beat England with 13 players or whatever. Still, if they win at Loftus, that would be impressive - final frontier etc.
58 Go to comments$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
4 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
6 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
28 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
21 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
3 Go to comments