Gareth Baber
{{Short description|Welsh rugby player and coach (born 1972)}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Gareth Baber
| image = Gareth Baber 2018.jpg
| caption = Baber in 2018
| birth_name = Gareth Colin Baber
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1972|5|23|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Cardiff, Wales
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = 5 ft 9 in
| weight = 13.5st
| ru_position = Scrum half
| ru_currentposition = Attack & Skills Coach
| ru_currentteam = Edinburgh
| repteam1 = Wales 7s
| ru_ntupdate = 30 June 2014
| years4 = 1997-1999
| clubs1 = Cardiff RFC
| clubs2 = Pontypridd RFC
| clubs3 = Aberavon RFC
| clubs4 = Bristol
| apps4 = 33
| points4 = 55
| ru_clubupdate = 30 June 2014
| province1 = Dragons
| provinceyears1 = 2003–2007
| provinceapps1 = 75
| provincepoints1 = 30
| coachyears1 = 2011–2013
| coachyears2 = 2013–2016
| coachyears3 = 2016–2021
| coachyears4 = 2021–
| coachteams1 = Cardiff Blues
| coachteams2 = Hong Kong 7s
| coachteams3 = Fiji 7s
| coachteams4 = Edinburgh (assistant coach)
| ru_coachupdate = 5 July 2021
| occupation =
| relatives =
| school =
| university = Swansea University
Oxford University
}}
Gareth Baber (born 23 May 1972) is a Welsh rugby player and coach. He is best known for coaching and leading the Fiji sevens team to win their second gold medal in rugby sevens at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He coached Fiji to their fourth World Sevens Series title. He has won the most tournaments in the world series as coach for the Fiji Islands.
During his playing career Baber earned a Blue for Oxford University's rugby team. He also featured at scrum-half for Pontypridd RFC, and featured prominently in Pontypridd's European Shield victory over London Irish in 2001 where he appeared on the wing.
In July 2023, Baber became a full-time member of staff at Cardiff Metropolitan University as the Director of Rugby System.
Coaching
Baber was assistant coach with the Wales national under-20 team. Baber was also academy skills coach at Welsh regional side Cardiff Blues.[http://www.cardiffblues.com/38_246.php Cardiff Blues : Academy Coaches] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514215037/http://www.cardiffblues.com/38_246.php |date=14 May 2008 }} In July 2011, Baber and Justin Burnell were appointed Head Coaches of the Cardiff Blues following the resignation of Dai Young.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/default.stm Baber and Burnell appointed at Cardiff Blues]
In November 2013, Baber became head of Hong Kong men's rugby sevens and directed the senior men's, women's and youth programmes at elite level.{{cite web|url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=8&art_id=139220&sid=40798861&con_type=1&d_str=20131105&fc=2|title=HK greet new sevens coaches|date=5 November 2013|work=The Standard|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105022441/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=8&art_id=139220&sid=40798861&con_type=1&d_str=20131105&fc=2|archive-date=5 November 2013|df=dmy-all}} In October 2016, he signed a four-year contract with Fiji Rugby Union to coach the Fiji national rugby sevens team.[http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/news/199734 Fiji appoint Baber as new men's sevens head coach] Since becoming the Fiji sevens team head coach, he has won eleven tournaments with them, beating the previous record set by Ben Ryan of nine.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}} He also guided Fiji in winning the 2018-19 World Rugby Sevens Series after close a battle for points with the United States throughout the series. He is now an Olympic winner after winning gold in rugby sevens at the Tokyo 2020 Games.{{Cite web |date=2021-10-15 |title=Gareth Baber to leave role as Fiji 7s coach |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/453595/gareth-baber-to-leave-role-as-fiji-7s-coach |access-date=2022-08-21 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Sam |date=2021-10-16 |title=Edinburgh appoint Olympic gold winning coach Gareth Baber |url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/edinburgh-appoint-olympic-gold-winning-coach-gareth-baber/ |access-date=2022-08-21 |website=www.rugbypass.com |language=en}}
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
External links
- [http://www.newportgwentdragons.com/Personnel.aspx?pr=107507 Newport Gwent Dragons profile]
- [https://archive.today/20070703090228/http://www.wru.co.uk/609_1672.php Welsh Rugby Union profile]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20121003095750/http://www.ponty.net/baber-gareth Pontypridd RFC profile]
{{Fiji rugby sevens squad 2020 Summer Olympics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baber, Gareth}}
Category:Welsh rugby union coaches
Category:Welsh rugby union players
Category:Pontypridd RFC players
Category:21st-century Welsh sportsmen
Category:Bristol Bears players
Category:Oxford University RFC players
Category:Rugby union players from Cardiff
Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford
Category:Rugby sevens players at the 2006 Commonwealth Games