John Elders facts for kids
Elders as England head coach in 1973
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| Birth name | John Elders | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | December 18, 1930 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 3 May 2015 (aged 84) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Gosforth, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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John Elders (born December 18, 1930 – died May 3, 2015) was a famous English rugby union player and coach. He is remembered for his time playing for Leicester Tigers and for coaching the England national team.
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John Elders' Rugby Journey
John Elders was a talented rugby player. He played as a centre. From 1953 to 1958, he was a key player for the Leicester Tigers. During the 1950s, he scored 38 tries for his club. This was the third-highest number of tries for the Tigers in that decade. He also had the honor of being the club captain for several seasons. Elders also played one game for the special invitational team, Barbarian FC, in the late 1950s.
Coaching England to Success
After his playing career, John Elders became a highly respected coach. He coached the England team from 1972 to 1974. During his time as coach, England achieved some amazing things. He led England to their first-ever away win against New Zealand. This was a huge achievement for the team. He also coached England through a tour of South Africa where they remained undefeated.
Coaching at School and Clubs
Beyond the national team, John Elders spent many years coaching at different levels. From 1957 to 1982, he worked as the sports master at the Newcastle Royal Grammar School. While teaching there, he also played and coached for local clubs. These included Northern FC and Old Novocastrians.
He was a strong supporter of Old Novocastrians. He helped bring many new players to the club throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Elders even captained Old Novocastrians from 1959 to 1961.
Coaching in Australia
Later in his career, Elders coached the First XV team at Downlands College in Australia. His 1987 team was incredibly successful. They went undefeated for the entire season. This included winning matches against strong teams like King's, Riverview, and St Joseph's colleges in Sydney.
That amazing team included several players who would later become famous. These future stars played for the Wallabies, Australia's national rugby team. Some of these players were Brett Johnstone, Brett Robinson, Garrick Morgan, Peter Ryan, and Tim Horan.
Later Life
John Elders passed away on May 3, 2015, at the age of 84. He had been ill for a long time. He left behind a great legacy in the world of rugby, both as a player and a coach.
