Nicholas Vivian Haward Mallett

Nicholas Vivian Haward Mallett

Nicholas Victor Howard Mallett was born in Haileybury, Hertfordshire, on 30 October 1956 before emigrating to South Africa and taking a degree at the University of Cape Town. He returned to England to win rugby and cricket Blues at Oxford, was a Richmond club member, and played for the Barbarians against Leicester in 1979. In the same year he played in an England international trial match. He then played for Western Province and won two test caps at number 8 for South Africa in 1984 and later became one of the Springboks' most successful coaches with a world record equalling 17 straight test wins and a total of 27 victories in 38 tests. Between 2000 and 2004 he coached Stade Francais, again with championship success in the French domestic league. In 2007 he became national coach of Italy. In December 2009 he coached the Baa-Baas to a famous 25-18 victory over the All Blacks at Twickenham. A year later he repeated the feat when the Barbarians defeated South Africa 26-20. In April 2011 Nick Mallett was again invited to coach the Barbarians against his old club in Richmond and against Bedford Blues in the Mobbs Memorial Match. The Barbarians again won both matches.