Neil_Kelly

Neil Kelly

Neil Kelly

Professional Rugby League & Union coach & former rugby league footballer

Neil Kelly (born 10 May 1962) is an English rugby league coach and former professional player who was the head coach of Cornwall RLFC.

Quick Facts Personal information, Born ...

He played club level rugby league for Dewsbury Rams (two spells), Featherstone Rovers, Wakefield Trinity and Hunslet Hawks as a hooker or loose forward, and coached representative level rugby league (RL) for Wales, and at club level for Dewsbury Rams, Widnes Vikings, Leigh Centurions, and coached representative level rugby union (RU) for Namibia (assistant), and at club level for Ulster Rugby (defence), and Doncaster Knights (assistant).

Coaching career

Leigh Centurions

On his return to England and Rugby League Neil spent two years as the head coach and then director of football at Leigh Centurions Rugby League Club, competing in the Co-Operative Rugby League Championship.[3]

Ulster

Kelly spent two and a half years working as the defence coach for Ulster Rugby Union Club.[4]

Widnes Vikings

Whilst at Widnes, the club won the Grand Final.[5]

Dewsbury Rams

No promotion for Dewsbury after Grand Final win.[6]

Cornwall RLFC

On 8 Dec 2021 it was announced that Neil had been appointed as head coach of new club Cornwall RLFC.[7]

On 24 October 2022 it was announced that Neil's assistant Mike Abbott had taken over as head coach by mutual consent.[8]

Genealogical information

Neil Kelly is one of three brothers to play professional Rugby League, Andrew "Andy" Kelly who played for Wakefield Trinity, Hull Kingston Rovers and Illawarra Steelers (Australia), and Richard Kelly who played for Wakefield Trinity and Dewsbury.

References

  1. [1]
    "Neil Kelly – Career Stats & Summary – Rugby League Project". Rugby League Project.
  2. [2]
    "Neil Kelly – Summary – Rugby League Project". Rugby League Project.
  3. [3]
    "sportinglife.com".
  4. [4]
    "irishrugby.ie".
  5. [5]
    Guardian Staff (29 July 2001). "Widnes show they are ready to assume rightful place". The Guardian.
  6. [6]
    "Dewsbury fear being denied promotion". The Independent. 30 July 2000. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022.
  7. [7]
    "Neil Kelly: Cornwall RLFC appoint ex-Widnes coach for inaugural season". BBC Sport. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  8. [8]
    "Mike Abbott replaces Neil Kelly as Cornwall head coach". BBC Sport. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
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