Chris Chester (rugby league)
{{short description|Professional rugby league coach & former professional rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Chris Chester
|fullname = Christopher Chester
|image = Chris Chester.JPG
|image_size = 285
|caption =
|position = {{rlp|LF|SR|SO}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1978|10|8}}
|birth_place = Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England
|height = {{convert|6|ft|2|in|m|abbr=on}}
|weight = {{convert|13|st|6|lb|kg|abbr=on}}
|club1 = Halifax
|year1start = 1996
|year1end = 99
|appearances1 = 73
|tries1 = 16
|goals1 = 15
|fieldgoals1 = 1
|points1 = 95
|club2 = Wigan Warriors
|year2start = 1999
|year2end = 01
|appearances2 = 43
|tries2 = 5
|goals2 = 0
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 20
|club3 = Hull FC
|year3start = 2002
|year3end = 06
|appearances3 = 103
|tries3 = 14
|goals3 = 0
|fieldgoals3 = 0
|points3 = 56
|club4 = {{nowrap|Hull Kingston Rovers}}
|year4start = 2007
|year4end = 08
|appearances4 = 36
|tries4 = 5
|goals4 = 0
|fieldgoals4 = 0
|points4 = 20
|coachteam1 = {{nowrap|Hull Kingston Rovers}}
|coachyear1start = 2014
|coachyear1end = 16
|coachgames1 = 31
|coachwins1 = 16
|coachdraws1 = 0
|coachlosses1 = 15
|coachteam2 = Wakefield Trinity
|coachyear2start = 2016
|coachyear2end = 21
|coachgames2 = 161
|coachwins2 = 64
|coachdraws2 = 1
|coachlosses2 = 96
|coachteamA = Scotland
|coachyearAstart = 2018
|coachyearAend =
|coachgamesA = 4
|coachwinsA = 0
|coachdrawsA = 0
|coachlossesA = 4
|retired = no
|source = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/chris-chester/summary.html Rugby League Project][http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/chris-chester/summary.html Rugby League Project Coaching]
|updated = 11 August 2021
}}
Chris Chester (born 8 October 1978) is an English professional rugby league coach who is the former head coach of Wakefield Trinity in the Super League and Scotland at international level, and a former professional rugby league footballer.
As a player, Chester played in the forwards for Halifax, Wigan Warriors, Hull FC (with whom he won the 2005 Challenge Cup) and Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/hull_kr/6169061.stm|title=Hull's Chester switches to Rovers|publisher=BBC|date=11 December 2006|accessdate=15 October 2010}}
He was the head coach of Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League, however his resignation was announced in February/March 2016.
On 10 August 2021, A statement from Wakefield Trinity said that they had parted ways with Head Coach Chris Chester, with Willie Poching talking over as interim coach.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/58161635|title=Wakefield part ways with Chris Chester|publisher=BBC Sport|date=10 August 2021|accessdate=10 August 2021}}
Background
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=March 2023}}
Chester was born in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. He attended Kettlethorpe High School whose P.E. teacher at the time was the former Leeds Rugby Union winger and ex-England Head Coach, Stuart Lancaster.
Playing career
The former Stanley Rangers junior was captain of England Schools before he signed as a professional with Halifax. He made an impression in 1998's Super League III, where he was the runner-up for the Young Player of the Year award.
He moved to the Wigan Warriors in 1999 and played from the interchange bench in their 2000 Super League Grand Final defeat by St. Helens. He also played for the Wigan Warriors from the interchange bench in their 2001 Super League Grand Final defeat by the Bradford Bulls.
Chester then moved to Hull FC, and played in the 2005 Challenge Cup Final from the interchange bench in the victory over the Leeds Rhinos.{{cite news|title=Hull stun Leeds in Challenge Cup|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/challenge_cup/4169230.stm|accessdate=17 August 2013|newspaper= BBC News|date=27 August 2005}}
After spending seven years at Hull FC, Chester joined Hull Kingston Rovers for their inaugural season in Super League and played for the club for two seasons.
Coaching career
=Hull KR=
Chester retired from playing following a serious neck injury and took up a role as first team coach of Hull Kingston Rovers.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/hull_kr/7838610.stm|title=Hull KR hand Chester coaching job|publisher=BBC|date=20 January 2009|accessdate=16 October 2010}} He has previously been on the coaching staff at Castleford Tigers.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/castleford/7684826.stm|title=Tigers sign new academy coaches|publisher=BBC|date=22 October 2008|accessdate=15 October 2010}} In 2014, Chester was promoted to head coach following the departure of Craig Sandercock. In his first full season as head coach Chester guided Hull Kingston Rovers to the 2015 Challenge Cup Final, but his team were soundly beaten. On 24 February 2016, Hull Kingston Rovers dismissed Chris Chester as head coach following the home defeat by Wakefield Trinity (Wildcats) on 21 February 2016, they had gained one point from their opening three matches in Super League XXI.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/35648489|title=Chris Chester sacked as Hull KR head coach|publisher=bbc.co.uk|date=24 February 2016|accessdate=24 February 2016}}
=Wakefield Trinity=
On 16 March 2016, Chester was appointed Head Coach at Wakefield Trinity with immediate effect following the departure of Brian Smith.
Chester guided Wakefield to 8th position in the table in 2016 and 5th the following season. In 2016, Chester also led Wakefield to a Challenge Cup semi-final. On 10 August 2021, Chester was terminated as head coach of Wakefield after recording only four wins in the 2021 Super League season and with the club sitting second last on the table.{{cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12196/12378059/chris-chester-wakefield-trinity-part-company-with-head-coach/|title=Wakefield Trinity part company with head coach|website=www.skysports.com}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- (archived by web.archive.org) [https://web.archive.org/web/20101101131303/http://hullkr.co.uk/teammember.php?id=10124 Hull Kingston Rovers profile]
- [http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=260 Wigan Warriors profile]
- (archived by web.archive.org) [https://web.archive.org/web/20110602160803/http://www.slstats.org/p179/Chris%2BChester.html SL Stats]
- {{dead link|date=April 2018|bot=|fix-attempted=yes}} ĎŔƑ [http://www.rugbyleague.org/features/content.php?feat_id=426 "My life in rugby league: Chris Chester"] interview at TotalRL.com
{{Hull F.C. - 2005 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Coaching positions
|list1=
{{Hull KR coaches}}
{{Scotland national rugby league team coaches}}
{{Wakefield Trinity coaches}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chester, Chris}}
Category:English rugby league coaches
Category:English rugby league players
Category:Halifax Panthers players
Category:Hull Kingston Rovers coaches
Category:Hull Kingston Rovers players
Category:Rugby league players from Wakefield
Category:Rugby league second-rows
Category:Scotland national rugby league team coaches