Martin Haag

Martin Haag (born 28 July 1968 in Chelmsford, England) was an English rugby union player who principally played for Bath Rugby and was capped twice by England. In March 2016 he was appointed head coach of the Rugby Football Union's Under 20s team.

Playing and coaching career

Bath Rugby

His family having moved to Cornwall when he was four years old, Haag was educated at St Ives School and Penwith Sixth Form College and represented England Schools and Cornwall before joining Bath Rugby in 1987. He established a first team place during the 1990–91 Courage League season, capturing the Bath 'Player of the Year' award at the end of the season. Throughout his career, he achieved a reputation as a Sevens star, playing in Bath's victorious Sevens squad which won the Save & Prosper and the Welsh Snelling Sevens, as well as in Malaysia and elsewhere.

Haag won an England B cap against Spain and Ireland B in 1992, and was then selected for the New Zealand tour, winning his third B cap in the second test. A fast player about the field, he was selected for the England 'A's' in 1995/96 and in 1997 for England's tour of Argentina. He won his first full cap in the 46–20 victory over Argentina on 31 May 1997 and his second, and ultimately final, cap in the 13–33 defeat the following week.

Haag started for Bath in the victorious 1998 Heineken Cup Final as they defeated Brive. He made his 300th appearance for Bath Rugby in the 35–19 Heineken Cup victory over Castres Olympique on 13 January 2001, celebrating the occasion with a try, his 27th for the club. In April 2001, with Haag having lost his place to Mark Gabey and Bath also having the resources of Andy Lloyd, Steve Borthwick and new signing Danny Grewcock to call on, the club announced that his services would not be needed for the 2001–2002 season. In total he played 295 times for Bath Rugby with 9 appearances as a substitute before becoming Youth Academy Coach with the club.

Bristol Rugby

In July 2003 he joined Bristol Shoguns as first team coach.
In 2005 he agreed a three-year extension to his contract.

Return to Bath, the RFU and back to Bath again

After leaving Bristol in 2007 he was assistant coach to the England Under 18 side that toured Australia before returning to Bath Rugby in September 2007 and taking up the post of Academy Forwards Coach. In June 2008 Haag left Bath Rugby to join the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and take up a position as a National Academy Coach. The role saw him involved with the coaching of the England U20 team. In June 2009 he returned to Bath Rugby when he succeeded Mark Bakewell as forwards coach to the senior team.
Haag left Bath when his contract expired at the end of the 2011-2012 season.

Nottingham

In July 2012 he became head coach at RFU Championship side Nottingham. The team finished second in the 2012-13 RFU Championship in his first season at the club. He held this position until his appointment as the head coach of the RFU's Under 20s team in 2016.

World Rugby Under 20 Championship 2016

Haag was the head coach of the England team that won the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Championship hosted in England. The team defeated Ireland in the final.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Haag, Martin
1965 births
Living people
Bath Rugby players
Bristol Bears players
Cornish Pirates players
Cornish rugby union players
England international rugby union players
English rugby union coaches
English rugby union players
Rugby union locks
Rugby union players from Chelmsford