Jonny Bell (rugby union)

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Jonathan Bell
Full nameJonathan Charles Bell
Date of birth (1974-02-07) 7 February 1974 (age 50)
Place of birthBelfast, Northern Ireland
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
SchoolColeraine Academical Institution
Rugby union career
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)

 Dungannon
()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1994–1997 Ulster ()
1997–1998 Northampton Saints ()
1998–2005 Ulster ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1994–2003 Ireland 36 (40)
Correct as of 31 August 2003
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
1997 Ireland Hong Kong
Correct as of 24 March 1997
Coaching career
Years Team
2008–2011 Ulster (Elite Player Development Officer)
2011–2015 Ulster (assistant coach)
2015–20 Gloucester (Defence Coach)
2017 Gloucester (Interim Head Coach)
2020-2021 Glasgow Warriors (Attack Coach)
2021-2022 Worcester Warriors (Defence Coach)
2022- Ulster (Defence Coach)

Jonathan Charles Bell (born 7 February 1974) is an Irish rugby union coach and former player. He played centre for Ulster, with whom he won the 1998–99 Heineken Cup, Northampton and Ireland, and has coached at Ulster, Gloucester, Glasgow Warriors and Worcester Warriors. As of the 2022–23 season he is defence coach at Ulster.

Education[edit]

Bell went to school at Coleraine Academical Institution, playing rugby there.[1] He later gained a PGCE teaching qualification.[2]

Playing career[edit]

Bell first played for Ulster as an 18 year old.[3] He played one season for Northampton Saints in England in 1997–98.[4] He returned to Ulster and in 1999 was part of the Ulster team that won the Heineken Cup, putting in a man-of-the-match performance against Colomiers in the final.[5] Internationally, Bell made his Ireland debut against Australia on 5 June 1994. He earned 36 caps for Ireland between 1994 and 2003,[4] and played at two World Cups.[6] Bell played his last game for Ireland against Italy on 30 August 2003.[4] He also played for the Irish sevens team, appearing in the 1997 World Cup in Hong Kong.[citation needed]

Bell retired from professional rugby in 2005 following struggles with injuries.[citation needed]

Coaching career[edit]

Following his retirement from playing, Bell became a PE teacher, working at Campbell College in Belfast where he coached the school's rugby side.[5]

He then became an Elite Player Development Officer for the academy of his former side Ulster,[7] and later an assistant coach.

In 2015, Bell left Ulster to join English Premiership side Gloucester, where his former Ulster and Ireland teammate David Humphreys was Director of Rugby.[8] He was appointed as the side's defence coach.[6] In March 2017, Bell was appointed head coach on an interim basis for the remainder of the 2016–17 season, following the dismissal of Laurie Fisher.[9] Till the end of season 2019-20 he was defence coach.[10] He took over as an attack coach for Glasgow Warriors for the 2020-21 season.[11]

On 18 May 2021, Bell returned to the Premiership with Worcester Warriors as their new defence coach from the 2021-22 season.[12] He returned to Ulster as defence coach for the 2022–23 season.[13]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ "CAI bring the curtain down with quarter final win over Omagh". Coleraine Times. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  2. ^ "Ulster's 1999 Heroes: Where Are They Now?". Irish Rugby. 29 January 2009.
  3. ^ "Tragic episode puts Bell's problems into perspective". Irish Independent. 8 September 2004. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  4. ^ a b c "Rugby Union Players and Officials: Jonathan Bell". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Ulster's 1999 Heroes: Where Are They Now?". Irish Rugby. 29 January 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Jonny Bell". Gloucester Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  7. ^ "Interview with Jonathan Bell - Academy Elite Player Development Officer". Ulster Rugby. 9 April 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  8. ^ "The scenery must be nice in Gloucester because another key Ulsterman is making the switch". The42. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  9. ^ "Ulster European Cup winner Jonny Bell helps Humphreys by taking Gloucester reins". Belfast Telegraph. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  10. ^ "Coaches". Gloucester Rugby.
  11. ^ Barnes, David (23 December 2019). "Glasgow Warriors appoint Jonny Bell as attack coach for next season". The Offside Line.
  12. ^ "Jonny Bell to join Warriors' coaching team". Warriors. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  13. ^ Jonathan Bradley and Adam McKendry, "Jonny Bell confirmed to be returning to Ulster as defence coach, while Craig Newby extends contract", Belfast Telegraph, 30 March 2022
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