Phil Larder

Phil Larder MBE (born 20 March 1945 in Oldham, Lancashire), is an English rugby league and rugby union coach.

After graduating with a degree in Physical Education and Sports Science from Loughborough University in 1965, he played rugby union at centre for Broughton Park in Manchester and then Sale. Larder then transferred to rugby league, playing for Oldham and later Whitehaven.

Derek Whitehead played Centre, i.e. number 3, in Oldham's defeat by St. Helens in the 1968 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1968–69 season at Central Park, Wigan on Friday 25 October 1968.

He was Head of Physical Education at Saddleworth School between 197? and 1982.

In 1982, Larder was appointed as Coaching Director of the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA). Following Australia's 40-4 win in the first Ashes series test over Great Britain at Boothferry Park in Hull as part of the 1982 Kangaroo tour, Larder realised that the Australian's had left the British game behind and that if something didn't change then international matches between the two teams would no longer be a contest (the score had only been 10-4 at half time, but the Kangaroos has scored 30 unanswered points in the second half to leave British rugby league shell shocked). Deciding that action needed to be taken, Larder contacted Kangaroos coach Frank Stanton before the second test in Wigan and requested that he be allowed to spend a week with the team to observe the Kangaroos coaching and training methods. After getting approval from the Australian Rugby League, Stanton agreed and Larder spent a week with the team. From there he attended a coaches conference in February 1983 (among the coaches was former Great Britain lock forward and then Castleford coach Mal Reilly) where he presented his findings from his week with Stanton. The Rugby Football League were impressed with his initiative and Larder was appointed as Coaching Director of the RFL as well as the BARLA. Larder's work saw rugby league in Britain become more professional.

...
Wikipedia