Ben Darwin
{{EngvarB|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{infobox rugby biography
| name = Ben Darwin
| image =
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| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1976|10|17}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
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| height = {{convert|188|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}{{cite web|title=2001 Australian Wallabies squad - British & Irish Lions Tour |url=http://www.rugby.com.au/lions2013/About/WallabiesSquad2001.html |website=rugby.com.au |publisher=Australian Rugby Union |accessdate=17 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922193242/http://www.rugby.com.au/lions2013/About/WallabiesSquad2001.html |archivedate=22 September 2013}}
| weight = {{convert|115|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
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| repyears1 = 2001-2003
| repteam1 = {{nrut|Australia}}
| coachteams1 = Northern Suburbs
| coachteams2 = Western Force
| coachteams3 = NTT Shining Arcs
| coachteams4 = Melbourne Rebels
}}
Ben Darwin (born 17 October 1976) is a former Australian rugby union footballer. A graduate of the Australian Institute of Sport scholarship program {{citation needed|date=April 2017}}, he played 28 times for the Wallabies, Australia's national team, from 2001 to 2003. During this time, Darwin played games against the British and Irish Lions and was part of the Wallabies' 2003 Rugby World Cup team. His usual position was tighthead prop,{{cite web
|work = ARU
|publisher = Australian Rugby Union
|date = 4 November 2004
|title = Norths Appoint Ben Darwin
|url = http://aru.rugby.com.au/news/norths_appoint_ben_darwin,22202.html
|accessdate = 21 April 2010
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110726154152/http://aru.rugby.com.au/news/norths_appoint_ben_darwin,22202.html
|archive-date = 26 July 2011
|url-status = dead}} although on occasion he played on the loosehead side.
Wallabies career
Darwin made his international debut for Australia in June 2001, coming off the bench against the touring Lions in Brisbane. He also played in the 2001 Tri Nations Series later that year, and was capped against Spain, England, France and Wales. He played in the 2002 Tri Nations Series, as well as being capped another four times during the end of year tour. He played 11 times for Australia in 2003, and was included in the 2003 World Cup squad. It was during the Wallabies' World Cup semi-final win against the All Blacks that Darwin sustained a neck injury that forced him to retire from rugby.{{cite web
|work=ARU
|publisher=Australian Rugby Union
|title=Injury forces Ben Darwin to retire from rugby
|url=http://www.rugby.com.au/news/injury_forces_ben_darwin_to_retire_from_rugby,14179.html
|accessdate=20 April 2010
|url-status=dead
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606221407/http://www.rugby.com.au/news/injury_forces_ben_darwin_to_retire_from_rugby%2C14179.html
|archivedate=6 June 2011
}}
Post playing career
After retirement, Darwin made the switch from player to coach, starting at club rugby level with Sydney's Northern Suburbs where he was appointed head coach in 2005.{{cite web
|work = ARU
|publisher = Australian Rugby Union
|date = 4 November 2004
|title = Norths Appoint Ben Darwin
|url = http://aru.rugby.com.au/news/norths_appoint_ben_darwin,22202.html
|accessdate = 21 April 2010
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110726154152/http://aru.rugby.com.au/news/norths_appoint_ben_darwin,22202.html
|archive-date = 26 July 2011
|url-status = dead}} In 2006, Darwin was involved with the start up of the Super 14 club, the Western Force, as the Forwards Coach until mid-2006.{{cite web
|work = ARU
|publisher = Australian Rugby Union
|date = 5 April 2005
|title = World Cup Wallaby Ben Darwin named Assistant Coach
|url = http://aru.rugby.com.au/news/world_cup_wallaby_ben_darwin_named_assistant_coach,26720.html
|accessdate = 21 April 2010
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110726154124/http://aru.rugby.com.au/news/world_cup_wallaby_ben_darwin_named_assistant_coach,26720.html
|archive-date = 26 July 2011
|url-status = dead}} In 2007, Darwin was selected to be a part of the commentary team covering the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France for the Australian television network, Channel 10. While he France, Darwin was also in training for his first Iron Man triathlon, which he completed in Port Macquarie in April 2008. He finished his second Iron Man, again at Port Macquarie, the following year.
At the beginning of June 2008, Darwin moved to Tokyo where he served as the Forwards Coach for the Japanese Top League Rugby team, the NTT Shining Arcs, a team owned by Japanese telecommunications giant NTT.{{cite web
|work=foxsports.com.au
|title=Former Wallaby prop Ben Darwin questions penalties awarded against Al Baxter
|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25809848-32464,00.html
|accessdate = 20 April 2010
}} Darwin was integral to the club's promotion from the 2nd Division Top East competition to Top League at the end of the 09/10 season.{{
cite web | work = Rugby Japan
| title=Final: Japan Rugby Top League Promotion & Relegation Matches
| url=http://www.rugbyjapan.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=810&Itemid=31
|accessdate = 20 April 2010}}
At the beginning of 2010, Darwin married a writer/journalist from Melbourne.{{cite web
|work = Rugby Zone
|title = New Beginnings
|url = http://www.rugbyzone.com/blogs/ben-darwin/New_Beginnings
|accessdate = 20 April 2010
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100511014826/http://www.rugbyzone.com/blogs/ben-darwin/New_Beginnings
|archivedate = 11 May 2010
|url-status = dead}} Shortly after, Darwin and his wife returned to Australia in order for Darwin to take up the Scrum Coach/Video Analyst position for the Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby franchise team.{{
cite web | first = Wayne | last = Smith | date = 20 April 2010
| work = The Australian| title = Darwin to coach Rebels scrum
|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/darwin-to-coach-rebels-scrum/story-e6frg7mf-1225855705739
|accessdate = 20 April 2010}}
Darwin writes regular columns on rugby matters for www.rugbyzone.com.{{
cite web
|work=Rugby Zone
|title=Art of Japanese Rugby – Part 1
|url=http://www.rugbyzone.com/column.aspx?id=7194
|accessdate=20 April 2010
}}{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{
cite web
|work=Rugby Zone Absolute cretin, when dealing neighbour hood issues. Probably be sued for slander depending on the authorities view and the opinion of top Queen street legal firm. So dumb he mentioned he complained in front of 2 witnesses in what would otherwise protected him.
|title=Art of Japanese Rugby – Part 2
|url=http://www.rugbyzone.com/blogs/ben-darwin/The_Art_of_Japanese_Rugby_Part_2
|accessdate=20 April 2010
}}{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Ben began Gain Line Analytics in 2013 and works with leading sporting clubs, national teams and corporate clients.
Career Timeline
2005: Head Coach at Northern Suburbs, Sydney Australia{{cite web
|work = ARU
|publisher = Australian Rugby Union
|date = 4 November 2004
|title = Norths Appoint Ben Darwin
|url = http://aru.rugby.com.au/news/norths_appoint_ben_darwin,22202.html
|accessdate = 21 April 2010
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110726154152/http://aru.rugby.com.au/news/norths_appoint_ben_darwin,22202.html
|archive-date = 26 July 2011
|url-status = dead}}
2006: Forwards Coach at Western Force, Perth, Australia{{cite web
|work = ARU
|publisher = Australian Rugby Union
|date = 5 April 2005
|title = World Cup Wallaby Ben Darwin named Assistant Coach
|url = http://aru.rugby.com.au/news/world_cup_wallaby_ben_darwin_named_assistant_coach,26720.html
|accessdate = 21 April 2010
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110726154124/http://aru.rugby.com.au/news/world_cup_wallaby_ben_darwin_named_assistant_coach,26720.html
|archive-date = 26 July 2011
|url-status = dead}}
2008–10: Forwards Coach and Video Analyst at NTT Shining Arcs, Tokyo, Japan.
2010–12: Scrum Coach and Video Analyst/Head of IT at Melbourne Rebels, Melbourne, Australia.{{cite web
|work=The Australian
|title=Darwin to coach Rebels scrum
|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/darwin-to-coach-rebels-scrum/story-e6frg7mf-1225855705739
|accessdate = 20 April 2010
}}
2012–13: Forwards Coach for Suntory Sungoliath, Tokyo, Japan. {{citation needed|date=April 2017}}
2013-:Co Founded Gain Line Analytics with Simon Strachan former senior interior designer with Holden Australia.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=1618 Ben Darwin] on sporting-heroes.net
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110606221407/http://www.rugby.com.au/news/injury_forces_ben_darwin_to_retire_from_rugby%2C14179.html Injury Forces Ben Darwin to retire from rugby]
- [http://www.abc.net.au/rn/sportsfactor/stories/2007/2024628.htm Sport and spinal injury – a conversation with Ben Darwin] on The Sports Factor, ABC Radio National broadcast 7 September 2007 (audio and transcript)
{{Australia Squad 2003 World Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Darwin, Ben}}
Category:Australian rugby union coaches
Category:Australian rugby union players
Category:Australia international rugby union players
Category:People educated at Barker College
Category:Australian rugby union commentators