Dan McKellar

Dan McKellar (born 17 July 1976) is an Australian professional rugby union coach. He currently works as head coach for Leicester Tigers in England's Premiership Rugby. He was previously the head coach of Super Rugby team the Brumbies, head coach of the University of Canberra Vikings in Australia's National Rugby Championship,[3] and an assistant coach for the Australian national rugby union team.

Dan McKellar
Date of birth (1976-07-17) 17 July 1976
Place of birthBrisbane, Queensland, Australia[1][2]
Height190 cm (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Weight112 kg (247 lb)[1]
SchoolTownsville Grammar School
Height and weight correct as of 2006
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
–1995 Burdekin Canetoads ()
1996–2006 Souths ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2001–2005 Wicklow ()
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2006 Queensland Reds 0 (0)
Coaching career
Years Team
2008–2010 Souths
2011–2012 Tuggeranong Vikings
2013 NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes (Forwards coach)
2014–2018 Brumbies (Assistant coach)
2014 Canberra Vikings
2018–2022 Brumbies
2021–2023 Australia (Assistant coach)
2023– Leicester Tigers

Early life

McKellar grew up in Burdekin in North Queensland. He was introduced to rugby at Townsville Grammar School. He played first grade club rugby as a teenager, helping the Burdekin Canetoads win the Townsville premiership in 1994.[4]

Rugby career

As a loosehead prop, McKellar played more than 150 premier grade games over a decade at Souths Rugby Club in Brisbane, winning a premiership in 2000. He was a member of the Queensland Reds Super Rugby squad in 2005 and 2006.[4][5] He also had stints playing overseas in Scotland and Ireland.[5] McKellar began learning the art of coaching at Wicklow, a small rugby club just outside Dublin in Ireland. He was playing in the team and acting as his side's assistant coach in 2001, and took over the main player-coach role from 2002 to 2005.[6][7][8]

Coaching career

McKellar was a premier grade assistant coach at Souths Rugby Club in Brisbane in 2007,[9] and the head coach from 2008 to 2010.[5] He was appointed as coaching director and head coach of the Tuggeranong Vikings Rugby Club in Canberra for seasons 2011 and 2012 which included back to back premierships in premier grade. He also set up the professional rugby academy at the Vikings Club.[5] In February 2013, McKellar moved to Japan to take up a position as forwards coach of Top League team NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes.

Returning to Canberra, he signed with the Brumbies as the club's defence and skills coach for the 2014 Super Rugby season.[5] After the launch of the National Rugby Championship, he was appointed as head coach of the University of Canberra Vikings team to play in the new competition.[3]

McKellar was appointed as head coach of the Brumbies for the 2018 season following Stephen Larkham's departure.[10]

In August 2021 it was announced McKellar would wind up a successful five-year stint as Brumbies head coach at the end of the 2022 Super Rugby season and would remain in his position with the Australia national team.[11] During his time as Brumbies head coach he led the side to the Super Rugby Semi-Final in 2019, and back-to-back Super Rugby AU Grand-Finals in 2020–21, famously taking out the 2020 title in front of a home crowd at GIO Stadium.[12]

After holding his role within the Australia national team since 2021, McKellar resigned from his job to join English Premiership team the Leicester Tigers,[13] effective from 1 July 2023.[14][15]

References
  1. Blackwood, Nathan (23 February 2023). "Who is Dan McKellar: Ten things you need to know about Leicester Tigers' head coach". Rugby World.
  2. Doran, Christy (9 February 2023). "Exclusive: McKellar short listed for head coach role at major English club as Wallabies coaching plan takes twist". theroar.com.au.
  3. Gaskin, Lee (24 March 2014). "Brumbies to dominate University of Canberra Vikings squad for new competition". The Canberra Times. Fairfax. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  4. Stewart, Antony (21 November 2013). "A Burdekin Brumby". Townsville Bulletin. News. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  5. "Our Team". Next Gen Rugby. 2013. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  6. Perry, Antony (6 December 2013). "McKellar and the Brumbies a perfect match". Front Row Sports. Archived from the original on 23 June 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  7. "Wicklow Rugby Football Club". Irish Rugby. 2002. Archived from the original on 31 October 2002. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  8. "Wicklow Rugby Football Club". Irish Rugby. 2005. Archived from the original on 11 October 2006. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  9. "Annual Report 2007" (PDF 3.2 MB). Queensland Rugby. 2007. p. 32. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  10. Dutton, Chris (17 June 2017). "Outgoing ACT Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham to give Dan McKellar space to make 'own team'". The Canberra Times. Fairfax. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  11. "Dan McKellar to hand over Brumbies reins at end of 2022". Canberra Weekly. Newstate Media. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  12. "Brumbies claim Super Rugby AU title with thrilling victory over Reds and losing to the Reds in the 2021 Grand Final". Canberra Weekly. Newstate Media. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  13. Robinson, Georgina (22 February 2023). "'Huge loss': McKellar resignation plunges World Cup plans into chaos". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  14. "Dan McKellar to join Leicester Tigers". leicestertigers.com. Leicester Tigers. 22 February 2023.
  15. Blackwood, Nathan (22 February 2023). "Leicester Tigers appoint Dan McKellar as head coach". Rugby World.
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