Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Former British & Irish Lion Darren Morris has joined Dallas Rugby Football Club as Director of Rugby. The 18-time capped Wales prop was a part of the 2001 Lions tour to Australia. He takes with him years of experience to Texas.
As a player, Morris had a professional career spanning 13 years. This included playing in the Aviva Premiership for the Leicester Tigers, Worcester Warriors, and Northampton Saints, in the Guinness Pro14 for the Cardiff Blues and in the Welsh Premier Division for Neath and Swansea (now combined as the Ospreys in the Guinness Pro14). He also played on the invitational Barbarians side on several occasions.
During his coaching career, Darren has served as scrum coach Russia at Rugby World Cup 2011 and as forwards coach of that team in 2012-2013. In 2013, he took a role as Director of Rugby for the Russian team Kuban, taking them to their highest ever position at in the top division of rugby in Russia.
In late 2013, Morris departed Russia, returning to the U.K. There he signed as Doncaster Knights coach, and helped them get promoted back to the RFU Championship that season.
In 2015 Morris moved to Texas in 2015, taking-up a position as Director of Rugby for the USA Rugby Division 1 Griffins RFC in Allen, Texas.
In his new role with the Reds, Morris will serve as the Club’s Director of Rugby and Head Coach, and will take personal responsibility for coaching the Division 1 forwards. He is joined on the Club’s coaching staff by Filip Keuppens (D2 Coach), Ernest Carrasco (D3 Coach), Tige Bailey (Women’s Coach), Dean Gericke (D1 Backs Coach), Joseph Bardwell (D2 Backs Coach), Chris Herzog (D2 Forwards Coach), David Hettena (Strength & Conditioning Coach / Team Manager), and Stuart Reeves (Team Manager).
