Kieron Purtill

{{short description|Englisg RL coach and former professional rugby league footballer}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Kieron Purtill

|fullname =

|nickname = Bones

|image = Kieron Purtill Leigh.jpg

|image_size = 285

|position = {{rlp|CE|SH}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1977|2|12}}

| birth_place = Wigan, Greater Manchester

| height =

| weight =

| club1 = Leigh Centurions

| year1start = 1999

| year1end = 02

| appearances1 = 57

| tries1 = 15

| goals1 = 0

| fieldgoals1 = 1

| points1 = 61

|coachteam1 = Huddersfield Giants

|coachyear1start= 2008

|coachyear1end = 09

|coachgames1 = 12

|coachwins1 = 6

|coachdraws1 = 0

|coachlosses1 = 6

|coachteam2 = Leigh Centurions

|coachyear2start= 2018

|coachyear2end = 19

|coachgames2 = 10

|coachwins2 = 8

|coachdraws2 = 0

|coachlosses2 = 2

|coachteam3 = Widnes Vikings

|coachyear3start= 2019

|coachyear3end =

|coachgames3 = 34

|coachwins3 = 19

|coachdraws3 = 0

|coachlosses3 = 15

|coachteamA = Canada

|coachyearAstart= 2010

|coachyearAend =

|coachgamesA =

|coachwinsA =

|coachdrawsA =

|coachlossesA =

|coachteamB = England Knights

|coachyearBstart= 2012

|coachyearBend =

|coachgamesB = 3

|coachwinsB = 3

|coachdrawsB = 0

|coachlossesB = 0

|new = yes

|retired =

|source = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/kieron-purtill/summary.html RLP Playing career][http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/kieron-purtill/summary.html RLP Coaching career][https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/v2/1999-season/ 1999 Season][https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/v2/2000-season/ 2000 Season][https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/v2/2001-season/ 2001 Season][https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/v2/2002-season/ 2002 Season]

|updated = 30 April 2018

}}

Kieron Purtill was most recently the head coach of the Widnes Vikings in the Championship before resigning in October 2019 after signing a 1 year contract extension only two months prior.{{cite web | url=https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/v2/blog/2018/02/26/neil-jukes-resigns-from-his-position-as-leigh-centurions-head-coach/ | title=Neil Jukes Resigns From His Position As Leigh Centurions Head Coach | date=26 February 2018 | publisher=Leigh Centurions Rugby League Club | accessdate=13 February 2020 }} He is the former head coach of both the Canada national rugby league team and the England Knights/Elite Development Squad.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}

Background

Purtill was born in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.

Playing career

A former scrum half for the Wigan Warriors, Huddersfield Giants and Leigh Centurions, Purtill was forced to retire from playing due to injury and moved into coaching.

Coaching career

He started as a coach at St. Helens before joining Huddersfield Giants as an assistant coach in 2005.{{cite web|title=Purtill joins Giants as coach|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/huddersfield/4241712.stm|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=22 November 2013|date=13 September 2005}} At Huddersfield, he worked under head coach Jon Sharp, who rated him as one of the best young coaches in the game. Following Sharp's departure from the club in 2008, Purtill had a brief spell as caretaker coach alongside Paul Anderson. He then moved to St Helens where he worked under Michael Potter and then Royce Simmons. He also became head coach of the Canada Wolverines rugby league team and in 2011 the England Knights team. He also did a PG Dip in Elite Coaching Practice at the University of Central Lancashire. He parted company with St Helens along with Royce Simmons on 18 March 2012 following a run of 5 games without a win. He has since been linked with a return to Huddersfield or to Bradford Bulls, both in assistant roles.