Chris Boyd (rugby union)

Chris Boyd (born 21 July 1958 in Wellington) is a New Zealand rugby union coach, who is currently the Director of Rugby at English Premiership team Northampton Saints. He has previously coached at Wellington, the New Zealand under-20 National Team, and Super Rugby franchise the Hurricanes.

Chris Boyd
Date of birth (1958-07-21) 21 July 1958
Place of birthWellington, New Zealand
Rugby union career
Coaching career
Years Team
2003–06
2006–08
2011
2011–14
2012–14
2015–2018
2018–2022		 Wellington (assistant)
Sharks (assistant)
Tonga (assistant)
Wellington
New Zealand under-20
Hurricanes
Northampton Saints

Coaching career

Boyd's first coaching role was as coach of Tawa Rugby Club, where he spent nine years from 1989 to 1998. In that year he took over as Wellington's second XV coach, becoming assistant coach to the provincial side, the Wellington Lions, in 2003. From 2006 to 2008 he was assistant coach at the Sharks Super Rugby franchise. He then worked at the International Rugby Academy of New Zealand as a coaching services advisor, and was defensive coach for the Tongan team at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, with Tonga famously defeating eventual finalists France 14–19 in the pool stages.[1]

Wellington Lions

Boyd was appointed as Wellington Lions coach in 2011,[2] and took over as head coach of the national under-20 team in 2012, a position he vacated until 2014.[3] During his tenure as Wellington head coach, he steered his team to the 2013 ITM Cup final, losing out 29–13 to Canterbury, with the victors in turn securing their sixth ITM Cup in a row.[4]

Hurricanes

In the 2015 season Boyd became the head coach of the Hurricanes Super Rugby franchise along with John Plumtree as assistant coach. On 4 July 2015, Boyd guided his Hurricanes side all the way to the Super Rugby final, losing out 21–14[5] to eventual winners and fellow New Zealand franchise, Highlanders. The following season he would go one step further and win the 2016 Super Rugby final, defeating the Lions 20–3 on 6 August 2016.[6] Upon leaving the Hurricanes, Boyd had become the most successful coach in the franchise's history to date, winning the Super Rugby New Zealand Conference twice, whilst also winning the competition in its entirety in 2016, having finished runner-up the year before.[7]

Northampton Saints

On 29 January 2018, it was announced that Boyd would become Director of Rugby at Northampton Saints as of August 2018.[8] Boyd's inaugural season at the club resulted in his first piece of silverware on 17 March 2019, by defeating Saracens 23–9 in the Premiership Rugby Cup final, in front of a full-house Franklin's Gardens Stadium.[9] On 18 May 2019, it was confirmed that Boyd's Northampton Saints finished in the all-important 4th place, and would go on to face the Exeter Chiefs in the Premiership Rugby play-off system. However, they were defeated 42–12 by the Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park.[10] He will leave Northampton following the conclusion of the 2021–22 season.[11]

Coaching style

Boyd is renowned for his sides playing an attacking brand of rugby, proven statistically by his Hurricanes scoring 97 tries across the 2017 Super Rugby season.[12] Throughout the course of the 2018–19 Premiership Rugby season, his Northampton Saints side steadily progressed, most notably with improvements in the offloading and player support game. It is also recorded that he has remarkable communication with his players.[13]

Honours

As a coach

Wellington

  • ITM Cup runner-up: 2013

Hurricanes

  • New Zealand Conference Champions: 2015, 2016
  • Super Rugby Championship Runner-up: 2015
  • Super Rugby Championship: 2016

Northampton Saints

References
  1. Standley, James (1 October 2011). "Rugby World Cup 2011 Pool A: France 14–19 Tonga". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  2. "Boyd named as new Wellington Lions coach," Television New Zealand, 3 November 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  3. "Wellington Rugby Congratulates Chris Boyd," www.voxy.co.nz. Updated 26 October 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  4. "Canterbury make it six ITM Cups in a row". Mitre 10 Cup. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  5. "Highlanders stun the 'Canes to claim title". Super Rugby. 4 July 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  6. "Hurricanes beat Lions 20–3 in Super Rugby final to win first title". ABC News. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  7. "Rugby: Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd signs deal with Northampton Saints". NZ Herald. 30 January 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  8. "Chris Boyd: Northampton Saints appoint New Zealander as director of rugby". BBC Sport. 29 January 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  9. "Premiership Rugby Cup Final: Northampton beat Saracens with three first-half tries". BBC Sport. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  10. Pilnick, Brent (25 May 2019). "Premiership semi-final: Exeter thrash Northampton to reach fourth straight final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  11. "Director of rugby Boyd to leave Saints". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  12. Pugsley, Daniel (6 February 2018). "Can Chris Boyd create an English version of the Hurricanes?". The 1014 Rugby. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  13. "Saints appoint Chris Boyd as new Director of Rugby". Northampton Saints. 29 January 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
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