Eddie O'Sullivan

O'Sullivan was born in Youghal, Cork, Ireland. After attending the Christian Brothers school in the town, he graduated from Thomond College, which a decade later became part of the University of Limerick.

O'Sullivan played for the Garryowen Football Club during the 1970s and 1980s at fly-half and wing, while teaching physical education, maths, and science in Mountbellew, County Galway. He played for Munster between 1983 and 1986 on the wing and got capped for Ireland A in 1984. He also played Gaelic Football. In 1982, he played corner forward on the Mountbellew Moylough Gaelic football team. He was fitness advisor to the Galway Senior Football Team, managed by John O'Mahony, which won two All-Ireland Senior Football Titles in 1998 and 2001.

He started his coaching career at Monivea Rugby Club in north-east Galway in the early 1980s while still a teacher. He worked as a development officer for the Irish Rugby Football Union between 1988 and 1991. During that time and up until 1992, he was the fitness advisor to the Irish Rugby Team, under head coach Ciaran Fitzgerald. He followed this with spells coaching at Blackrock College, (first as assistant, then as head coach) Connacht as assistant coach and head coach between 1992 and 1996 and the Irish Under-21 side. The Under-21 side won the 1996 Triple Crown, beating Clive Woodward's England. Between 1997 and 1999, while working in the US he continued to coach the Buccaneers Rugby Club in Connacht, who won promotion from Division 3 to Division 1 of the All-Ireland League and reaching the Top 4 of the tournament in their 1st season in Division 1.

After failing to secure a high-profile coaching position in Ireland, O'Sullivan moved to America to coach the US Eagles, where he worked as forwards coach at the 1999 Rugby World Cup He also worked as technical director to USA Rugby between 1997 and 1999. As technical director he developed and delivered the USA Rugby Coach Education Programme, which certifier coaches at Foundation, Level I, Level II and Level III. He was then appointed as the assistant coach of the Irish national side in 1999 as the Backs Coach. During his time as assistant coach he was credited with advancing Irish back play considerably while working with players such as Brian O'Driscoll, Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer, Rob Henderson, Shane Horgan and Denis Hickie. In 2001 he was appointed head coach following the controversial departure of Warren Gatland.

In his first year Ireland finished third-place in the 2002 Six Nations Championship. O'Sullivan's Ireland went on to achieve second place in 2003, only losing the Grand Slam in the final match against England. At the 2003 Rugby World Cup his team lost to France in the quarter-finals.

Ireland again missed out in the 2004 Six Nations Championship, losing the Grand Slam to France this time, but went on to win Ireland's first Triple Crown in 19 years. While transitioning the team during the 2005, O'Sullivan's side finished in third place with defeats by France and Wales. In 2006 defeat to France cost Ireland the Championship.[3] In 2007 again Ireland lost the championship to France on points difference. On the final day of the tournament despite defeating Italy heavily in Rome (51–24), France defeated Scotland with a controversial try in the final minute of the game to again deny Ireland a 6 Nations Championship. The fact that the French played later in the day than Ireland gave them an advantage of knowing exactly what score they needed to secure the Championship. This fuelled the discussion about games not kicking off at the same time on the final day of the tournament.

During his tenure as head coach to Ireland O'Sullivan won 3 Triple Crowns, in 2004, 2006 and 2007. Ireland also defeated Australia twice (2002 & 2006) and South Africa twice (2004 & 2006). Ireland defeated England in the Six Nations Championship over four consecutive years (2004–2007) including a record victory (43–13) at the iconic Croke Park Stadium in 2007. O'Sullivan also coached the Barbarians R.F.C. to victory over the 2007 World Cup Champions South Africa in November 2007.

After coaching the Irish Under-21 team to their first-ever Triple Crown in 1996, O’Sullivan joined USA Rugby as assistant coach to the Eagles (forwards coach) and assistant national technical director to USA Rugby. In 1998, he took over as national technical director while still retaining his position as assistant coach on the Eagles coaching staff. He worked with the Eagles at the 1999 Rugby World Cup before returning to Ireland as assistant coach to the Irish Rugby Team (backs coach).

In 2009 the position of head coach to the USA Eagles Men's team came open when Scott Johnson announced he would leave the team at the end of the 2008–09 season to move to Ospreys of the Celtic League.[8] O'Sullivan's agent reported on 16 February that O'Sullivan had signed a deal that would see him coach the United States through the 2011 World Cup.[9] His hiring was officially announced on 4 March.[10] O'Sullivan coached the USA Eagles from 2009 up until the end of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. It was O'Sullivan's 5th appearance at a Rugby World Cup in a coaching capacity (RWC 1991 S&C coach Ireland, RWC 1999 assistant coach USA, 2003 head coach Ireland, 2007 head coach Ireland, 2011 head coach USA)

In May 2014 O'Sullivan was confirmed as head coach of Biarritz Olympique. Relegated from the Top 14 following the 2013–14 season, Biarritz played in the Pro D2 league in 2014–15. O'Sullivan left Biarritz Olympique in October 2015.[11]

• Official website

Sporting positions
Preceded by Warren Gatland	Ireland National Rugby Union Coach 2002–2008	Succeeded by Declan Kidney
Preceded by Scott Johnson	United States National Rugby Union Coach 2009–2011	Succeeded by Mike Tolkin