Chris Simmers

{{Short description|Scottish rugby union & league player}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Chris Simmers

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Chris Simmers

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1969|10|17}}

| birth_place = Scotland

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=8}}

| weight = {{convert|85|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

| position = Centre

| amatyears1 =

| amatteam1 = Glasgow Academicals

| amatteam2 = Edinburgh Academicals

| amatteam3 = Racing 92

| amatteam4 = Edinburgh Academicals

| amatteam5 = Glasgow Hawks

| ru_amupdate =

| repteam1 = Scotland U16

| repyears1 =

| repcaps1 =

| reppoints1 =

| ru_ntupdate =

| years1 = 1996-97

| years2 = 1997–99

| clubs1 = Edinburgh

| clubs2 = Glasgow Warriors

| apps1 =

| apps2 = 15

| points1 =

| points2 = 10

| ru_clubupdate =

| provinceyears1 =

| province1 =

| provinceapps1 =

| provincepoints1 =

| repsevensyears1 =

| repsevenscomp1 =

| ru_sevensupdate =

| relatives = Brian Simmers, father
Max Simmers, grandfather

| school = The Glasgow Academy

| university = Edinburgh University

}}

Chris Simmers (born 17 October 1969 in Scotland) is a Scottish former rugby union player. He played professionally for Glasgow Warriors and at amateur level for Glasgow Hawks normally playing at the Centre position.

As a schoolboy he played for Glasgow Academicals and represented Scotland Schools.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0vs9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=M0kMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5455%2C6830188|title=The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search|publisher=}} His father Brian Simmers and grandfather Max Simmers both played for Glasgow Academicals and both represented Scotland. His father Brian was a chairman of Glasgow Academicals and founded the Glasgow Hawks side on Accies and Glasgow High Kelvinside merger in 1997.{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12508804.Mackay_and_Simmers_pull_plug_on_Glasgow_Warriors_franchise_plan/|title=Mackay and Simmers pull plug on Glasgow Warriors franchise plan|work=Herald Scotland}}

He played for Edinburgh Academicals{{cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/simmers-recalls-his-halcyon-days-in-paris-1-1972631|title=Simmers recalls his halcyon days in Paris|publisher=}} and from there in 1991 went to Racing 92 in Paris. He played in France for one season, returning to Scotland to play for Scotland Students in the World Cup.

Professionalism came into the Scottish Rugby Union game in 1996, a year after World Rugby had decreed an open game. This meant for the first time, players could change code without sanction. Simmers played for the Scotland Rugby League Nines side in the Super League World Nines in the 1996 tournament, the abbreviated version of Rugby League.{{cite web|url=http://official.sportnetwork.net/main/s347/st61143.htm|title=Official Scottish Rugby League}}

He played for Edinburgh in 1996. He made 3 appearances in the Heineken Cup for Edinburgh in the 1996-97 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/player_archive.php?player=2861&includeref=dynamic|title=Player Archive : European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR)|work=epcrugby.com|access-date=9 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125195623/http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/player_archive.php?player=2861&includeref=dynamic|archive-date=25 January 2016|url-status=dead}}

Playing with Glasgow Hawks he signed a professional contract with Glasgow Rugby, now Glasgow Warriors, in 1997.{{cite web|url=http://old.glasgowhawks.com/cms/history|title=Glasgow Hawks RFC - Club History & Archive|publisher=}} He played a further 10 matches in the Heineken Cup for Glasgow Warriors in the following two seasons.{{cite web|url=http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/matchcentre/match_centre_heineken_cup.php?section=lineups&fixid=754|title=Match Centre - Welsh Rugby Union - Official Website : Match Centre : Heineken Cup|work=wru.co.uk|access-date=9 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125170228/http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/matchcentre/match_centre_heineken_cup.php?section=lineups&fixid=754|archive-date=25 January 2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/rugby-union-heineken-cup-team-news-1241490.html|title=Rugby Union: Heineken Cup - Team news|author=David Llewellyn|date=22 October 2011|work=The Independent}} He also played in the Scottish Inter-District Championship in the 1997-98 season.{{cite web | url=http://www.calmview.eu/Hubcat/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=BML%2F6%2F3%2F44 | title=Search Results }}

He survived the cull of Scottish professional players in 1998, remaining with Glasgow Warriors and Glasgow Hawks, when Caledonia Reds and Border Reivers were disbanded.{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12299322.District_cap_does_not_fit_six_Scotland_internationalists__Room_left_to_tempt_big_names_north_as_43_players_pay_the_penalty_for_rugby_apos_s_contract_revolution/|title=District cap does not fit six Scotland internationalists. Room left to tempt big names north as 43 players pay the penalty for rugby's contract revolution|work=Herald Scotland}}

He was playing for Glasgow Hawks in 2000.{{cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/story/30646.html|title=SRU introduce Golden Try rule|work=ESPN scrum}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/4770349/Howarth-holds-out-big-hopes-for-new-boys-Boroughmuir.html|title=Howarth holds out big hopes for new boys Boroughmuir|author=Peter Donald|date=1 September 2000|work=Telegraph.co.uk}}{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/722986.stm|title=BBC News - SCOTLAND - Boroughmuir in cup triumph|publisher=}}http://www.calmview.eu/Hubcat/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=BML%2F6%2F1%2F166{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

He now works for investment group Standard Life.{{cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-simmers-bb40868|title=Chris Simmers | LinkedIn|publisher=linkedin.com|accessdate=2016-01-09}}