MIKE BLAIR has recruited former Fiji Sevens head coach Gareth Baber to his backroom team as skills and assistant attack coach. The 49-year-old Welshman will start work with the capital club in early December.
Baber, who led Fiji to Olympic Gold in Tokyo earlier this year, studied at both Swansea University and Oxford University, and played scrum-half and wing for Cardiff RFC, Pontypridd RFC, Aberavon RFC, Bristol and Dragons, before switching his focus to coaching in 2007.
He had stints as an assistant coach of the Wales Under-20s team, working in the Cardiff Blues academy, and then as co-head coach of the Welsh capital side, before being appointed Head of Hong Kong Rugby Sevens in 2013 where he directed the senior men’s, women’s and youth programmes. He took on the Fiji job in 2016 and helped guide the Pacific Islanders to 11 tournament victories – beating the previous record of nine set by Ben Ryan – winning the 2018/19 World Rugby Sevens Series title as well as Olympic Gold along the way.
It was announced yesterday [Thursday] that he had turned down a contract extension offer from Fiji so that he could “pursue a new opportunity in the 15s game”.
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“I am very much looking forward to the challenges and opportunities which come with my new coaching role with Edinburgh,” said Baber. “I am extremely grateful to Mike [Blair] and the Edinburgh backroom team for the faith they have shown in my recruitment and I’m determined to repay this.
“The prospect of joining an innovative and knowledgeable coaching staff at a top European team, which has in its ranks some of the best rugby talent in world rugby, excites me enormously. I look forward to adding value to the group, utilising my own rugby knowledge and coaching experiences.
“Having played and coached against Edinburgh during my career, I am aware of what the team represents and the depth of passion felt in the city for the success of the team.
“It is a great opportunity to challenge myself in an established professional environment, where I recognise that I will need to be at the top of my coaching abilities.
“I look forward to establishing new relationships and will work tirelessly to honour the opportunity which has been presented to me.”
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Blair added: “I’m really looking forward to working with Gareth. He’ll be a welcome addition to our coaching group.
“Gareth’s reputation for being a forward-thinking and dynamic coach will be hugely important as we look to continually develop our attacking philosophy in the seasons to come.
“I’ve got no doubt Gareth will hit the ground running once he links up with our group in December and our squad will benefit massively from his coaching and expertise.”
Edinburgh Rugby Managing Director, Douglas Struth, added: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Gareth to the club. He’s an Olympic Gold medal winner and brings with him a wealth of experience and coaching pedigree that will only add to our already dynamic and talented coaching group.
“Gareth’s record on the World Rugby Sevens Series speaks for itself while, in his role as Fiji Sevens Head Coach, he has worked with some of world rugby’s most talented and gifted players.
“Those experiences will bring an exciting style to our attacking philosophy – something our coaching staff will no doubt embrace from the get-go. We’re really looking forward to welcoming Gareth to Edinburgh Rugby this December.”
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