- Denis Betts
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Denis Betts Personal information Full name Denis C. Betts Born 14 September 1969
Salford, Lancashire, EnglandPlaying information Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Position Second-row Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1986–95 Wigan 1995–97 Auckland Warriors 42 11 0 0 44 1998–01 Wigan Warriors Total 42 11 0 0 44 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1990–99 Great Britain 32 8 0 0 32 1995 England 4 1 0 0 4 Coaching information Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 2012– Widnes Vikings Denis C. Betts (born 14 September 1969 in Leigh, Lancashire) is an English rugby league coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Widnes Vikings in the Engage Super League. He played for Wigan in the Rugby League Premiership and the Australian NRL, for the Auckland Warriors, and also represented England at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup. In total, he was capped 32 times for Great Britain. His usual position was as a second-row forward.
Contents
Early Life
Betts attended Clarendon High School and has a younger brother, Darren Betts - also a talented rugby and football Player who played for Salford City Reds in the 1990s. Denis was also a former Manchester United youth team player and was featured in an Inside United article in 2008 about former United players who went on to succeed in other sports.
Betts signed for Wigan from Leigh Miners[1] ARL (also known as Leigh Rangers) on 14 October 1986.
Playing Career
He galvanised a great Wigan team, his own medal haul including six Championships, seven Rugby League Challenge Cups, three Premierships, four John Player/Regal Trophies and two Lancashire Cups. He also received the Lance Todd Trophy (1991) and the coveted Man of Steel award (1995).
He featured in three World Club Challenge matches for Wigan, winning two, against the Penrith Panthers in 1991 and the Brisbane Broncos 1994.
During the 1992–93 Rugby Football League season Betts played at second-row forward for defending RFL champions Wigan in the 1992 World Club Challenge against the visiting Brisbane Broncos. After the 1993–94 Rugby Football League season Betts travelled with defending champions Wigan to Brisbane, playing in the second row in the 1994 World Club Challenge victory over Australian premiers, the Brisbane Broncos. Betts had the honour of scoring the opening try in the last game at Central Park and the first try at the JJB Stadium.
At the height of the Super League War he signed a lucrative deal with the Auckland Warriors in 1995, but returned to Wigan in 1998, and played in the side that lost to Sheffield Eagles in the Challenge Cup Final that year. He missed the 1998 Super League Grand Final win that year through injury, but played in the losing Grand Final sides of 2000 and 2001. Betts was persuaded to retire from playing at the age of 32, in order to help Wigan get under the salary cap.[2]
He made 32 appearances for Great Britain, the joint highest ever for a forward, and toured three times, in 1990, 1992 and 1996. He was also the vice-captain of England in the 95 World cup final, which they lost to Australia at Wembley Stadium.
Betts is the only player to win both England and Great Britain caps whilst at the Auckland Warriors.
Coaching career
At the end of 2001, Betts moved into coaching as under-18s coach at Wigan, and progressed to under-21s, which he led to victory in the 2003 U21 Grand Final.[3] In July 2003, Stuart Raper was sacked as Wigan coach, and he was replaced by Mike Gregory. Mike then appointed Denis as his assistant. Wigan's results improved and they went on reach the Grand Final, only to lose to Bradford. The following season, Wigan reached another final, losing this time to St Helens in the Challenge Cup final. Betts then took temporary charge in May 2004 when Gregory stepped down due to illness. He held the position for a year before he was moved sideways by the club to make way for the appointment of new head coach Ian Millward, who had left St Helens just two weeks earlier and was recruited for his experience. Betts continued to work under Millward until the end of the 2005 season but left in November after refusing to take a post as coaching the academy U21 side.[4]
In January 2006 he took up a post as skills and development coach with Guinness Premiership rugby union club Gloucester, a position which he left in June 2010,[5] despite having another year on his contract. Speaking about his time at Gloucester, he said "It’s a really passionate place and I hope they can get the success they deserve. I really enjoyed the place, especially the match-day atmosphere and the Shed."[6]
While at Gloucester, Betts emerged as a surprise contender for the vacant England coaching job,[7] which he applied for in March 2010, ultimately losing out to Bradford's Steve McNamara.
In November 2010, Betts was appointed as coach of Championship side Widnes Vikings.[8] In May 2011, he was reappointed to manage Widnes into the Super League in 2014.[9]
References
- ^ Leigh Miners Rangers - About Us
- ^ http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/rugby_league/s/182/182081_wigan_blow_as_betts_off.html
- ^ http://www.wiganwarriorsfans.com/wigan/?s=Player&o=9953
- ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2006/jan/11/rugbyunion.gdnsport3?INTCMP=SRCH
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/gloucester/8751230.stm
- ^ http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Gloucester-Rugby-s-skills-coach-Denis-Betts-hails-soul-Kingsholm/story-11892755-detail/story.html
- ^ "Betts in frame for England job". Sportinglife. 2010-03-29. http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/10/03/29/RUGBYL_England.html. Retrieved 2010-03-29.
- ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/nov/10/denis-betts-widnes-coach
- ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/may/10/denis-betts-widnes-super-league?INTCMP=SRCH
External links
- Denis Betts Wigan Playing Career Page on the Wigan RL Fansite.
- Denis Betts Wigan Coaching Career Page on the Wigan RL Fansite.
- International Statistics at englandrl.co.uk
- Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org
- When Britain defeated the Aussies
Preceded by
Mike GregoryCoach
Wigan Warriors
2004-2005Succeeded by
Ian MillwardEngland squad – 1995 Rugby League World Cup finalists 1995 World Cup – Team of the Tournament 
1 Iestyn Harris • 
2 Jason Robinson • 3 Paul Newlove • 
4 Richard Blackmore • 5 Anthony Sullivan • 
6 Brad Fittler • 
7 Adrian Lam •
8 Mark Carroll • 9 Lee Jackson • 10 David Westley • 11 Denis Betts • 12 Steven Menzies • 13 Andy Farrell •Wigan RLFC squad – 1994 Challenge Cup Final winners 1 Gary Connolly • 2 Va'aiga Tuigamala • 3 Dean Bell (c) • 4 Barrie-Jon Mather • 5 Martin Offiah • 6 Frano Botica • 7 Shaun Edwards
• 8 Kelvin Skerrett • 9 Martin Dermott • 10 Andy Platt • 11 Denis Betts • 12 Andy Farrell • 13 Phil Clarke
• 14 Sam Panapa • 15 Mick Cassidy • Coach: John DorahyWigan RLFC squad – 1993 Challenge Cup Final winners 1 Steve Hampson • 2 Jason Robinson • 3 Joe Lydon • 4 Andrew Farrar • 5 Martin Offiah • 6 Frano Botica • 7 Shaun Edwards
• 8 Kelvin Skerrett • 9 Martin Dermott • 10 Andy Platt • 11 Denis Betts • 12 Phil Clarke • 13 Dean Bell
• 14 Sam Panapa • 15 Andy Farrell • Coach: John MonieWigan RLFC squad – 1992 Challenge Cup Final winners 1 Joe Lydon • 2 Frano Botica • 3 Dean Bell • 4 Gene Miles • 5 Martin Offiah • 6 Shaun Edwards • 7 Andy Gregory
• 8 Kelvin Skerrett • 9 Martin Dermott • 10 Andy Platt • 11 Denis Betts • 12 Billy McGinty • 13 Phil Clarke
• 14 Steve Hampson • 15 Neil Cowie • Coach: John MonieWigan RLFC squad – 1991 Challenge Cup Final winners 1 Steve Hampson • 2 David Myers • 3 Kevin Iro • 4 Dean Bell • 5 Frano Botica • 6 Shaun Edwards • 7 Andy Gregory
• 8 Ian Lucas • 9 Martin Dermott • 10 Andy Platt • 11 Denis Betts • 12 Phil Clarke • 13 Ellery Hanley
• 14 Bobbie Goulding • 15 Andy Goodway • Coach: John MonieWigan RLFC squad – 1990 Challenge Cup Final winners 1 Steve Hampson • 2 Joe Lydon • 3 Kevin Iro • 4 Dean Bell • 5 Mark Preston • 6 Shaun Edwards • 7 Andy Gregory
• 8 Adrian Shelford • 9 Martin Dermott • 10 Andy Platt • 11 Denis Betts • 12 Andy Goodway • 13 Ellery Hanley
• 14 Ian Gildart • 15 Bobbie Goulding • Coach: John MonieWigan RLFC squad – 1989 Challenge Cup Final winners 1 Steve Hampson • 2 Tony Iro • 3 Kevin Iro • 4 Dean Bell • 5 Joe Lydon • 6 Shaun Edwards • 7 Andy Gregory
• 8 Ian Lucas • 9 Nicky Kiss • 10 Adrian Shelford • 11 Andy Platt • 12 Ian Potter • 13 Ellery Hanley
• 14 Denis Betts • 15 Andy Goodway • Coach: Graham LoweMan of Steel Award 1977 David Ward • 1978 George Nicholls • 1979 Doug Laughton • 1980 George Fairbairn • 1981 Ken Kelly • 1982 Mick Morgan • 1983 Allan Agar • 1984 Joe Lydon • 1985 Ellery Hanley • 1986 Gavin Miller • 1987 Ellery Hanley • 1988 Martin Offiah • 1989 Ellery Hanley • 1990 Shaun Edwards • 1991 Garry Schofield • 1992 Dean Bell • 1993 Andy Platt • 1994 Jonathan Davies • 1995 Denis Betts • 1996 Andy Farrell • 1997 James Lowes • 1998 Iestyn Harris • 1999 Adrian Vowles • 2000 Sean Long • 2001 Paul Sculthorpe • 2002 Paul Sculthorpe • 2003 Jamie Peacock • 2004 Andy Farrell • 2005 Jamie Lyon • 2006 Paul Wellens • 2007 James Roby • 2008 James Graham • 2009 Brett Hodgson • 2010 Pat Richards • 2011 Rangi Chase
Lance Todd Trophy winners 1946 Billy Stott • 1947 Willie Davies • 1948 Frank Whitcombe • 1949 Ernest Ward • 1950 Gerry Helme • 1951 Cecil Mountford • 1952 Billy Ivison • 1953 Peter Ramsden • 1954 Gerry Helme • 1955 John "Jack" Grundy • 1956 Alan Prescott • 1957 Jeff Stevenson • 1958 Rees Thomas • 1959 Brian McTigue • 1960 Tommy Harris • 1961 Dick Huddart • 1962 Neil Fox • 1963 Harold Poynton • 1964 Frank Collier • 1965 Ray Ashby & Brian Gabbitas • 1966 Len Killeen • 1967 Carl Dooler • 1968 Don Fox • 1969 Mal Reilly • 1970 Bill Kirkbride • 1971 Alex Murphy • 1972 Kel Coslett • 1973 Steve Nash • 1974 Derek Whitehead • 1975 Ray Dutton • 1976 Geoff Pimblett • 1977 Steve Pitchford • 1978 George Nicholls • 1979 David Topliss • 1980 Brian Lockwood • 1981 Mick Burke • 1982 Eddie Cunningham • 1983 David Hobbs • 1984 Joe Lydon • 1985 Brett Kenny • 1986 Bob Beardmore • 1987 Graham Eadie • 1988 Andy Gregory • 1989 Ellery Hanley • 1990 Andy Gregory • 1991 Denis Betts • 1992 Martin Offiah • 1993 Dean Bell • 1994 Martin Offiah • 1995 Jason Robinson • 1996 Robbie Paul • 1997 Tommy Martyn • 1998 Mark Aston • 1999 Leroy Rivett • 2000 Henry Paul • 2001 Sean Long • 2002 Kris Radlinski • 2003 Gary Connolly • 2004 Sean Long • 2005 Kevin Sinfield • 2006 Sean Long • 2007 Paul Wellens & Leon Pryce • 2008 Paul Wellens • 2009 Michael Monaghan • 2010 Lee Briers • 2011 Jeff Lima
Super League Dream Team – 2000 1 Kris Radlinski • 2 Jason Robinson • 3 Steve Renouf • 4 Michael Eagar • 5 Graham Mackay • 6 Tommy Martyn • 7 Sean Long
• 8 Stuart Fielden • 9 Keiron Cunningham • 10 Terry O'Connor • 11 Jamie Peacock • 12 Denis Betts • 13 Andy FarrellWigan Warriors Seasons 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011Stadiums Folly Field (1872–1877; 1879–1886) • Prescott Street (1877–1879; 1886–1901) • Springfield Park (1901–1902) • Central Park (1902–1999) • DW Stadium (1999–present)Head Coaches Jim Sullivan (1932–1952; 1961) • Maurice Hughes (1952–1953) • Ted Ward (1953–1956) • Joe Egan (1956–1961) • Johnny Lawrenson (1961) • Griff Jenkins (1961–1963) • Eric Ashton (1963–1973) • Graham Starkey (1973–1974) • Edward "Ted" Toohey (1974–1975) • Joe Coan (1975–1976) • Vince Karalius (1976–1979) • Kel Coslett (1979–1980) • George Fairbairn (1980–1981) • Maurice Bamford (1981–1982) • Alex Murphy (1982–1984) • Colin Clarke/Alan McInnes (1984–1986) • Graham Lowe (1986–1989) • John Monie (1989–1993; 1997–1999) • John Dorahy (1993–1994) • Graeme West (1994–1997) • Eric Hughes (1997) • Andy Goodway (1999) • Frank Endacott (1999–2001) • Stuart Raper (2001–2003) • Mike Gregory (2003–2004) • Denis Betts (2004–2005) • Ian Millward (2005–2006) • Brian Noble (2006–2009) • Michael Maguire (2009–2011) • Shaun Wane (2012–)Captains Andy Farrell (1998–2005) • Sean O'Loughlin (2006–2009) • Sean O'Loughlin, Andy Coley, Thomas Leuluai, Phil Bailey, George Carmont (Leadership team 2010) • Sean O'Loughlin (2011-present)Categories:- 1969 births
- People from Leigh, Greater Manchester
- English rugby league players
- Wigan Warriors players
- Great Britain national rugby league team players
- England national rugby league team players
- New Zealand Warriors players
- New Zealand Warriors captains
- English rugby league coaches
- Widnes Vikings coaches
- Living people
- Rugby league second-rows
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