Andy Friend

Andy Friend
Full nameAndrew Friend
Born (1969-04-24) 24 April 1969 (age 57)
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Rugby union career
Position Fullback
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1989–1991 Australian Capital Territory
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1986–1987 Australian Schoolboys
Coaching career
Years Team
2005–2008 Harlequins
2008–2011 Brumbies
2012–2014 Yokohama Canon Eagles
2014–2016 Suntory Sungoliath
2016–2018 Australia 7s
2018–2023 Connacht
2025 ACT Brumbies Women

Andrew Friend (born 24 April 1969) is an Australian rugby union coach and former player. Friend has previously worked as the ACT Brumbies Women in the Super Rugby Women's competition, the Director of Rugby for Irish province Connacht between 2018 and 2023 and was head coach of the Australia Sevens team, the Brumbies in Super Rugby, English club Harlequins, and the Yokohama Canon Eagles and Suntory Sungoliath in the Japanese Top League.

Career

Friend was selected in the Australia Schoolboys rugby team for 1986–87 before going on to play provincial rugby for the ACT Kookaburras. His position of choice was full-back.

Coaching career

Friend began his coaching career within an Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) rugby program in 1995. He held assistant coaching positions at the New South Wales Waratahs and the Brumbies. He was also the Brumbies skills coach under Eddie Jones.

Friend guided the Australian Under-21 team to the final of the 2005 World Championships. He worked within the Wallabies setup for the 2002 Tri Nations Series and 2003 Rugby World Cup.

In the summer of 2005, Friend joined English Premiership team Harlequins as head coach. Following the conclusion of the 2007-08 season, he signed a three-year contract with the Canberra-based Brumbies side.

He took over from Laurie Fisher as head coach at the Super Rugby club. After completing two full seasons in charge, Friend has his contract terminated in March 2011 following a loss to the Melbourne Rebels and rumours of player discontent. He was the third coach to either be fired or not have their contract renewed by the ACT Brumbies board. After helping out as a trainer for various Canberra high school teams, Friend went to Japan in 2012 and became the head coach at Canon Eagles for two seasons. He was head coach of Suntory Sungoliath from 2014 to 2016.

Friend was appointed head coach of the Australian Sevens team in 2016.

Friend was appointed as the head coach of Pro14 side Connacht on a three-year deal in May 2018. In December 2022, Friend decided to leave Connacht at the end of his contract at the conclusion of the 2022–23 season.

Inaugural inductee to University of Canberra Sport Walk of Fame in 2022.

In September 2024, Friend was appointed head coach of the ACT Brumbies Women in the Super Rugby Women's competition ahead of their 2025 season. The Brumbies finished last on the 2025 season ladder. Friend was coach until April 2025, and was succeeded by James Erwin.

Charity bike ride

Following an accident in 2010 when his wife, Kerri Rawlings, came off her bike and suffered a serious brain injury, Andy Friend undertook a 5000 km journey from Cooktown to Canberra to raise awareness and money for Acquired Brain Injury. This was to support Brain Injury Australia and Outward Bound. The journey was successful, with his wife as part of the support crew, and was completed in late November 2011.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Andy Friend appointed Qantas Australian Men's Sevens coach". ARU. 5 January 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  2. 1 2 Brumbies Coach Sacked
  3. 1 2 "Harlequins' Andy Friend named as Head Coach for ACT Brumbies". Quins. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2008.[permanent dead link]
  4. 1 2 Andy Friend, nouvel entraîneur-chef de Suntory Sungoliath
  5. ↑ "Friend appointed CA Brumbies Head Coach". Brumbies. 15 April 2008. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  6. ↑ "Friend appointed new Brumbies coach". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  7. ↑ "Andy Friend new Brumbies coach". Rugby Heaven. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2008. [dead link]
  8. ↑ "Super 14: Andy Friend named coach of ACT Brumbies". International Herald Tribune. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  9. ↑ "Brumbies to confirm Friend's appointment". Fox Sports. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  10. ↑ "Quins lose Friend to ACT Brumbies". BBC. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  11. ↑ "Friend to leave Quins". Sportinglife. 15 April 2008. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  12. ↑ "Andy Friend". Quins. 17 April 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2008. [dead link]
  13. ↑ "Quins' Friend gets Brumbies role". Guinness Premiership. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2008. [dead link]
  14. ↑ "Friend set to boss Brumbies". Sky Sports. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  15. ↑ "Andy Friend confirmed as new Connacht head coach". Irish Independent. 24 May 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  16. ↑ "Andy Friend: Director of rugby to leave Connacht at end of season". BBC Sport. 14 November 2022.
  17. ↑ "Walk of Fame Members". University of Canberra. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  18. ↑ "Andy Friend signs on as Super Rugby Women's Head Coach for 2025". brumbies.rugby. 12 September 2024. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024.
  19. ↑ Thornley, Gerry (8 July 2025). "'We agreed this kid is really good': Andy Friend on his role in the rise and rise of Mack Hansen". The Irish Times.
  20. ↑ "ACT Brumbies Women's Head Coach James Erwin speaks on Round 3 team to face Drua". brumbies.rugby. Brumbies Rugby. 17 June 2026.
  21. ↑ Bentley, Callum (27 October 2011). "Wife inspires 5000km ride". The Chronicle. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2016.