Gary Gold

Gary Gold (born 6 July 1967) is a South African rugby union coach who has coached at various levels of the game in England, Japan and South Africa.

He was until December 2022 the head coach of the United States.

Gold joined London Irish in July 2001 as forwards coach under newly appointed head coach Brendan Venter.

The South African duo formed a strong partnership in their first year at London Irish, guiding their team to fourth on the table at the end of the regular 2001–02 Premiership Season.

However they were knocked out at the quarter-finals stage, losing to Northampton Saints 38–14.

However, in the European Challenge Cup, London Irish made it to the semi-final, only to lose to Welsh side Pontypridd RFC 33–27.

Despite London Irish making the final in the major two competitions, they did make and win the final of the 2001–02 Powergen Cup, defeating the Saints 38–7.

The 2002–03 season proved more difficult than their debut season, failing to advance to knock-out rugby in any of the two major competitions, finishing ninth in the Premiership, and second in pool 5 of the 2002–03 Heineken Cup.

At the end of that season, Venter left his role at London Irish and Gary Gold was promoted to head coach.

Gold's first season in charge saw London Irish struggle further, finishing eighth in the Premiership, and being knocked out by Narbonne in the second round of the 2003–04 European Challenge Cup.

His second season proved even more of a struggle, slipping to tenth in the Premiership and again being knocked out in the second round of the 2004–05 European Challenge Cup by Pau.

An unimpressive stint as head coach of London Irish saw Gold leave the side at the end of the 2004–05 season to return to South Africa.

At the end of the 2004–05 season, Gold was offered a chance to return to his native Cape Town; London Irish agreed to release him from his contract, and he returned to South Africa to take up the role of forwards coach at Western Province.

After two seasons as forwards coach, and back-to-back knock-outs in the semi-final, Gold took on the role of head coach at Western Province in July 2007 after Kobus Van Der Merwe and Jerome Paarwater resigned from their positions at the club.

In the two years Gold spent at Western Province as head coach between 2007 and 2008, Western Province just missed out on advancing through to the knock-out stage of the Currie Cup.

Missing out on points difference in 2007 and being one point behind the Golden Lions in 2008.

Gold stood down at the end of that season, focusing on his assistant coaching role with the South African national team.

In May 2008 Gold was appointed by Peter de Villiers as an assistant coach of the Springboks, a position he held until after the 2011 Rugby World Cup when De Villiers resigned from his role.

Gold gained much successes with the national team, helping his side defeat all of the other Tier 1 nations at least once; including three victories against the All Blacks during the 2009 Tri Nations Series.

He was assistant during the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa, which saw the Boks secure a 2–1 series victory over the British & Irish Lions, the first South African side to do so since 1980.

After South Africa was knocked out at the quarter finals of the 2011 Rugby World Cup by Australia, losing 11–9, head coach Peter de Villiers immediately resigned in the post-match press conference.

Newcastle Falcons were ultimately relegated at the end of the 2011–12 English Premiership, with 32 points on the table, just behind the Wasps on 33.

His coaching staff soon followed after the South African Rugby Union announced there would be a complete new coaching set-up named ahead of the 2012 international season.

In January 2012, with Newcastle Falcons nine points adrift in the relegation zone of the Aviva Premiership, they announced that Gold and Mike Ford would join the club on an interim contract until the end of the season.

Gold was made head coach while Ford was named defence coach.

Despite best efforts of the two coaches, leading the side to multiple bonus points and four wins, the Falcons were unable to close the gap between them and London Wasps.

In May 2012 Bath appointed Gold as head coach of a coaching team that included Ford, Brad Davis, Toby Booth and Neil Hatley.

Initially, performances looked promising for the side, hovering around mid-table for most of the season.

However, the 2012–13 European Challenge Cup looked more promising for Bath, topping their pool with six from six wins, to see them through to the quarter-finals.

Bath were drawn against French side Stade Français, which was a step too far for Bath, who lost 36–20.

However inconsistent performances in 2013 meant Bath were unable to get much above seventh on the table, narrowly missing out on a Heineken Cup seed for the 2013–14 season.

After a lacklustre season, Gold was elevated to Director of Rugby, with Ford becoming head coach for the 2013–14 season.

However, on 9 December 2013, Gold departed the club despite Bath winning five in seven games in the Premiership, and leading their pool in European Challenge Cup with three wins in three games.

Ford, a man known for his regular upstaging of people he worked with, was instrumental in convincing Bath owner, Bruce Craig, to replace Gold.

This was a view that was widely frowned upon by many supporters and players.

Ford was in charge of the team that got to the Premiership final, until he too was fired a year later for inappropriate management of players and staff at Bath.

Gold was soon vindicated post the Ford era.

Following time out away from rugby, Gold took up a role in Japan, becoming head coach of Kobelco Steelers.

In his short stint in Japan, he helped Kobelco Steelers to top of the table at the end of the regular 2014–15 Top League Season.

Despite having to play fourth seed Yamaha Júbilo, who they had beaten 40–10 during the pool stage, the Steelers went on to lose 41–12 in the semi-finals.