Clive Woodward facts for kids
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| Birth name | Clive Ronald Woodward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 6 January 1956 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Ely, Cambridgeshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 12 st 8 lb; 176 lb (80 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | HMS Conway Naval School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Loughborough University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Jayne née Williams | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Part-time pundit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sir Clive Ronald Woodward (born 6 January 1956) is a famous English rugby union player and coach. He led the England rugby team to win the 2003 Rugby World Cup. This was a huge achievement for England. He also coached the British & Irish Lions team in 2005. Today, he works as a sports expert for ITV Sport. He shares his knowledge during big rugby events like the Six Nations and the Rugby World Cup.
Contents
Early Life and School
Clive Woodward was born in Ely, Cambridgeshire, England. His father was a pilot in the RAF. Clive first went to school in Edinburgh, Scotland. Later, he attended a special school ship called HMS Conway. His father sent him there because he wanted Clive to play rugby, not professional football.
At Conway, Clive played rugby as a centre. He played alongside Iain Duncan Smith, who later became a well-known politician. Clive said he was very good at rugby. He even played for a Welsh school, even though he was English.
Clive Woodward's Playing Career
Clive Woodward started his rugby career at Harlequins. He then went to Loughborough University. There, he earned a degree in sports science. After university, he played for Leicester from 1979 to 1985.
He played his first game for England on January 19, 1980. This was against Ireland. England won all their games that season, achieving a "Grand Slam." Clive played 21 games for England in total. His last game was against Wales in 1984. He also played for the British Lions team on tours to South Africa in 1980 and New Zealand in 1983. He was known for his strong partnership with Paul Dodge.
Clive Woodward's Coaching Career
Clive Woodward returned to the UK in 1990. He started his own IT company. At the same time, he began coaching a small rugby team called Henley Hawks. He helped them move up to national leagues. After coaching London Irish for a short time, he became an assistant coach at Bath.
Coaching England to World Cup Victory
In 1997, Clive Woodward became the coach of the England rugby team. His goal was to make the team professional. England improved a lot under his leadership. They won the Six Nations in 2000 and 2001. In 2003, they achieved a "Grand Slam" by winning all their Six Nations games. They beat Ireland 42–6 in Dublin.
After that, England had more big wins. They beat the All Blacks (New Zealand) in New Zealand for the first time since 1973. They also beat Australia, the world champions, in Melbourne. This was England's first win on Australian soil.
England went into the 2003 Rugby World Cup as the top-ranked team. They won against Georgia, South Africa, Samoa, Uruguay, Wales, and France. This led them to the final against Australia. England won the final 20–17. Jonny Wilkinson scored a winning drop goal in the last seconds of extra time.
For this amazing win, Clive Woodward was made a Knight in 2004. From 2000 to 2003, England won 41 out of 46 matches. They won all 20 games played at Twickenham. They also won 12 games in a row against the top teams from the Southern Hemisphere. England is still the only team from the Northern Hemisphere to have won the Rugby World Cup.
Challenges After the World Cup
After the World Cup, many experienced players retired. This included the team captain, Martin Johnson. Also, star player Jonny Wilkinson was injured for a long time. England finished third in the 2004 Six Nations.
Clive Woodward's last tour as England coach was in 2004. England lost badly to New Zealand and Australia. They didn't score any tries against New Zealand.
Coaching the British & Irish Lions
In 2004, Clive Woodward was chosen to coach the British & Irish Lions for their 2005 tour to New Zealand. However, the Lions lost all three test matches. Many people criticized Woodward's coaching during this tour. They felt he didn't pick the best players or prepare the team well enough. This tour damaged his reputation in rugby.
In 2011, Clive Woodward was added to the IRB Hall of Fame. This honor recognized his success as a Rugby World Cup-winning coach.
Leaving Rugby for Football
Clive Woodward's contract with England was supposed to last until 2007. But after the World Cup, he found it hard to deal with the politics of English rugby. He decided to leave his role as England coach on September 1, 2004.
He was interested in coaching football. He even thought about coaching a small local team to learn the basics. In 2005, he became the Performance Director at Southampton Football Club. He had no experience in professional football. He faced challenges and left the club in 2006.
Work with the British Olympic Association
In 2006, Clive Woodward joined the British Olympic Association. He became the director of elite performance. His job was to help British athletes prepare for the Olympic Games.
He was also on the board of directors for Leicester Tigers rugby club. In 2008, he carried the Olympic torch through London. He also helped review the 2008 Beijing Olympics to prepare for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He left the British Olympic Association in 2012 after six years.
Books by Clive Woodward
Clive Woodward wrote his autobiography, called Winning!, in 2004. In the book, he shares details about England's victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He also writes about his personal life and his career as a player and coach. Another book about him, Clive Woodward: the biography, was written by Alison Kervin.
Charity Work
Clive Woodward is an Honorary President of the Wooden Spoon Society. This charity helps children and young people with disabilities or facing disadvantages. He also plays in charity golf tournaments to raise money for children's causes.
Personal Life
Clive Woodward is married to Jayne Williams. They used to run a computer leasing business together. They live near Maidenhead. In 2004, his old university, Loughborough University, gave him an honorary degree.
Images for kids
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Clive Woodward
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Insignia of Knight Bachelor
See also
In Spanish: Clive Woodward para niños
- Eddie Jones
- Bernard Laporte
