Robinson named Edinburgh coach

Monday, October 01, 2007 1:06pm

Related Stories:

Former England coach Andy Robinson has been appointed as the new head coach of the Edinburgh rugby club by the Scottish Rugby Football Union (SRFU).

The 43-year-old, who also coached Bath in the Guinness Premiership before succeeding Sir Clive Woodward in 2004, has signed a three-year contract at Murrayfield.

A joint statement from Edinburgh and the SRFU, which took over the running of the team following a dispute with former owner Bob Carruthers, said they were "delighted to have secured the services of such an eminent figure in the world of rugby".

Gordon McKie, the chief executive of Scottish Rugby, said: "This is a major coup for Edinburgh and Scottish rugby in general.

"Andy Robinson's arrival is a clear sign of our very serious intent to build Edinburgh into a major force in professional rugby.

"He is without doubt a successful and proven coach and he is clearly driven to achieve results. He will significantly complement our professional coaching set up in Scotland."

Robinson himself said he was "instantly attracted" to the job, despite the off-field problems that have plagued the club during the off-season.

"My career in rugby has always thrived on challenges," he said.

"I was fortunate enough to spend my formative years in rugby at Bath, one of the best club rugby sides in history and I plan to apply what I learned there, and in my international career, to take Edinburgh to new heights."

Robinson's first match in charge will be against Ospreys in the Magners League on Friday.