Darren Morris

Darren Morris
Date of birth (1974-09-24) 24 September 1974
Place of birth [Aberdare]], Wales
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight 19 st 2 lb (122 kg)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Prop, Hooker
Amateur clubs
Years Club / team
Rhigos RFC, Brisbane Easts
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1992–1998
1998–2003
2003–2006
2006–2009
2009–2010
2010		 Neath
Swansea
Leicester
Worcester
Cardiff Blues
Northampton Saints

74
64
0

(5)
(10)
(0)
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1998–2004 Wales 18 (5)

Darren Morris (born 24 September 1974) is a former Wales international rugby union player who also represented the British and Irish Lions. He is currently the Director of Rugby for Griffins Rugby in Dallas, Texas, USA.

Club career

Morris was born in Aberdare, and educated at Aberdare Boys School, Neath College and the University of Glamorgan (now the University of South Wales). Played for Neath RFC from 1992 to 1998, and during this period also played in Brisbane for Eastern Suburbs Tigers, where they made it to the Grand Final in 1995. During this time he was also involved with the Queensland Reds. He then moved to Swansea RFC in 1998 where the club won numerous leagues and cups. He captained Swansea RFC their 2002/2003 season. Morris then joined Leicester Tigers with England props Graham Rowntree and Julian White. Morris signed for Worcester Warriors and made 64 appearances for the club. In July 2009 it was announced he was leaving Worcester at the end of the season. He joined Cardiff Blues. In January 2010, Morris signed for Northampton Saints until the end of the season. The following season Morris joined RGC 1404 as a forwards coach whilst involved Ampthill RUFC. Morris then joined Hartpury College in a player-coach role before announcing his retirement from playing at the end of the 2011-12 season.[1] In 2011 he signed as scrum coach for the Russian national team and went to the 2011 World cup. He continued this role and became forwards coach of the Russia's national team in 2012 to 2013. In 2013 he took a role as Director of Rugby in Krasnodar for a full-time team called Kuban taking them to finish mid table in their first season at the highest level of rugby in Russia.

He returned to rugby in 2013, signing for Doncaster Knights as a player-coach[2] as well as helping them get promoted back to the Championship that season.

Currently Morris is Director of Rugby in Texas, USA for Griffins Rugby, the first Professional rugby club in North America.

International career

Darren Morris began his international career at the age of 15 for Wales U-15's. Morris continued to play international rugby with both Welsh schools (U-18's) which he captained and then moving onto Welsh Youth (U-19's), and Welsh U-21's.

Although Morris was selected for Wales in 1996, injury prevented him from being able to play. He made his Senior Wales début on 6 June 1998 against Zimbabwe. He played in the 2001 Six Nations and Morris played on the 2001 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, and came on as a replacement for Tom Smith in the third test.

He also went on the 2004 tour to Argentina and South Africa under Mike Ruddock. Morris appeared twice in Argentina as a replacement from the bench, and in his final Wales game, appeared as a blood replacement against South Africa on 24 June 2004.

In 2005 he was again involved with the British and Irish Lions on their practice squad and standby.

References

  1. ↑ "Bonorino retires, Saints draft in Morris". Northampton Saints. 18 January 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  2. ↑ Hoden, Liam. "Doncaster Knights: Double delight as ex-Lion and Field sign". The Star. Retrieved 4 November 2013.

External links

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