Bull Sharks director of coaching Grant Anderson has been appointed head coach of the Queensland Reds Super Rugby Women’s side.
The Gold Coast rugby stalwart will bring more than 15 years of top-level coaching experience to the role, having spent the last five-years leading Bond University in the StoreLocal Hospital Cup.
He has also been involved in the hugely successful Bull Sharks women’s program that has won the past two Queensland Premier Rugby grand finals.
The 48-year-old former Reds front rower, who has also played and coached overseas, said he was thrilled to be returning to Ballymore Stadium.
“I am enormously grateful for the opportunity to work with the Reds Super Rugby Women’s Program,” he said.
“I have a passion for rugby in Queensland, and the culture that is being instilled throughout the Reds organisation is something I want to drive and be a part of.
“We have some of the most talented players in the country and I am looking forward to inspiring their development and helping them achieve their goals.
“We are entering a new era in Reds Women’s Rugby and I am embracing the challenge of growing this team’s potential while continuing to build on the great foundation that has been laid over previous seasons.
“I will focus on empowering the players, coaches and staff to challenge themselves and each other to be better and to trust the processes which will ultimately lead to the team’s success.”
Anderson will continue his role as director of coaching at the Bull Sharks.
Bond University Director of Sport Mike Collins said the appointment was testament to Anderson’s constant desire to build on his coaching capabilities in order to help his players improve.
“Our mission is to help everyone in our sports programs to achieve their goals,” he said.
“We are trying to create daily training environments across our sports that serves as a pathway into higher representative honours and Grant has a strong commitment to that as a coach.
“We have a proven track record in sending athletes off to greater honours and it is especially pleasing to see some of our coaches also advancing their careers.’’
Reds General Manager of Professional Rugby Sam Cordingley was pleased to welcome Anderson to the club.
“He brings great experience across a number of roles and programs and has a great understanding of Queensland Rugby.
“It’s an exciting time for women’s Rugby with the new facility at Ballymore and we’re confident Grant is the man to make the most of it moving forward.”
Anderson’s professional playing career saw him spend time with the Reds and abroad with the Newcastle Falcons, Edinburgh Gunners and Cornish Pirates in the United Kingdom, while he was also a standout in the Hospital Cup for Souths and the Gold Coast Breakers.
Upon retiring from playing, Anderson took a role with the London Wasps Academy as their Forwards Coach from 2007 to 2009, before returning home to the Gold Coast to take up an opportunity at renowned rugby nursery The Southport School in 2010.
Anderson has served as TSS’s defence, contact, forwards and specialist scrum coach since, while he has also held roles with the Breakers U19s and Queensland Country U19s.
He took on the Forwards Coach role at Bond University in 2016 before ascending to Head Coach in 2018.
Anderson has since overseen the most successful period in the Bull Sharks’ short history, leading the club to their first Hospital Cup finals appearance in 2020 and first minor premiership this season.
Anderson will announce his coaching staff in the coming weeks and 2024 Super Rugby Women’s squad in January.