Ben Gollings
 Gollings in Fiji (2013) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 13 May 1980 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Launceston, Cornwall, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 80 kg (12 st 8 lb; 176 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Brunel University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Ben Gollings (born 13 May 1980) is an English former rugby union player who most recently worked as a rugby coach[1] for Fiji sevens team. Gollings is best known for his time with the England national rugby sevens team. He is the career leader in points scored on the World Rugby Sevens Series with 2,652 points.[2]
Youth and early career
Gollings was born in Launceston, Cornwall, England. Gollings was educated at Castle Court School and Canford School. In 1997 he led Canford to success at The National Schools 7's. In 2000, he was selected for England in the Students' Rugby World Cup while at Brunel University.
Rugby sevens career
Gollings continued to remain a regular part of the England Sevens set-up. Gollings was the leading scorer three times on the IRB Sevens Series—343 points in 2005–06, 260 points in 2008–09, and 332 points in 2009–10. His accomplishments include several records in the IRB Sevens World Series. Gollings became the first rugby sevens player to score over 2,000 points in his career during 2009. Gollings finished his career with 2,652 points.[2] On 21 June 2011, it was announced that Gollings' contract with the RFU would not be renewed, ending his international sevens career after 70 tournaments.[3]
Rugby fifteens
Gollings played for Bournemouth, Gloucester, Bath Development U19 side, Harlequins, Newcastle Falcons, Worcester, Doncaster Knights and Sunnybank. Whilst at Newcastle he was a replacement as they won the 2004 Anglo-Welsh Cup final.[4] Three years earlier in 2001 he was on the losing side in the same competition when Newcastle beat his old club Harlequins.[5] In 2006, he signed to play in the New Zealand National Provincial Championship for Tasman. From June 2007 Gollings joined Toyota Shokki Rugby.
Gollings joined semi-professional club Rugby Lions as a player and backs coach. Gollings won every game with the Lions in his first season, amassing over 100 points for the club himself. He was quoted in the Rugby Advertiser as saying "It's been a special season and I don't think it has fully sunk in with people how phenomenal it is to win every league game. Most of us won't experience that again." However, due to the financial crisis that hit the club in the summer of 2012, Gollings left the Lions in July.
Coach
In late 2012, Gollings took up a sevens coaching role in Sri Lanka. He then relocated to Seattle in the United States to take up a major role with Serevi Rugby, a rugby training and development programme founded by Fiji player, Waisale Serevi.[6]
In 2024, Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) sacked Ben Gollings national men's sevens team coach for his "inability to meet the desired standards and expectations".
"After careful consideration and the unanimous agreement with all my trustees, Fiji Rugby has decided to part ways with Ben Gollings," FRU Trustees Board chairman Peter Mazey said at a news conference.[7]
"This is due to his inability to meet the desired standards and expectations set forth by the organisation and within his contract."
Gollings, who was a star player for England, has failed to gain a tournament win for Fiji at the World Rugby Sevens Series in 19 outings.
References
- ^ "Ben Gollings (c)". Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
- ^ a b "Men's All Time Player Stats: Most Points Scored". World Rugby Sevens. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
- ^ "Rugby Union – Ben Gollings to leave England Sevens". BBC. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
- ^ "Newcastle 37–33 Sale". BBC. 17 April 2004. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ^ "Newcastle snatch Cup glory". BBC. 24 February 2001. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ^ "Biographies: Ben Gollings". Serevi Rugby. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
- ^ "Ben Gollings gets the boot - Osea Kolinisau to take over as Fiji Sevens coach". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
External links
- Gollings website
- Ben Gollings at the World Rugby Men's Sevens Series (archived)