David 'Dai' Young is a Welsh rugby unioncoach and former rugby union and rugby league footballer. He was recently Director of Rugby at Premiership Rugby club Wasps but departed the club after initially stepping down from first team coaching in February 2020. A prop, he won 51 caps for Wales in rugby union between 1987 and 2002, three caps for the British Lions, and 14 caps for Wales in rugby league. After retiring from playing, he first coached Cardiff Blues, before moving to the Wasps in 2011. He has also coached the Barbarians several times from 2008 to 2013.
Playing career
Born in Aberdare in 1967, Young lived in Penywaun for many years. He played rugby union at club level for Swansea and Cardiff. Having not been selected to play for Wales in the 1987 Rugby World Cup, Young, then 19, travelled to Australia for the summer to play for Northern Suburbs. When Stuart Evans broke his foot playing against Tonga, Young was on the right side of the world at the right time and was called up to the Welsh squad. He made his début for Wales against England in the quarter-finals. He toured Australia with the then British Lions in 1989, playing in all three test matches, with the Lions winning the test series 2–1. Young changed rugby football codes from rugby union to rugby league when he transferred to Leeds in 1990 for a then world record of £150,000. He went on to play for Salford, won 14 caps for Wales and captained Wales in the 1995 Rugby League World Cup. Young returned to rugby union and Cardiff in 1996, after rugby union became professional. He won a further 37 caps for Wales, reaching a total of 51, then a record number for a prop. He was selected for a further two British & Irish Lions tours - South Africa in 1997 and Australia in 2001. He is the only player to have toured with the Lions in three separate decades. Young was known as a strong scrummager, with the ability to grip his opponent, keeping him low.
Coaching career
Young became head coach of the Cardiff Blues in 2003, and during his time in charge led the side to the 2008–09 Heineken Cup semi-final and the final of the 2006–07 and 2007–08 Celtic League. In addition, he led to the Blues to the EDF Energy Cup title in 2009 beating Gloucester 50–12 in the final at Twickenham. In 2011 he resigned and was appointed Director of Rugby at the Wasps after payment of a compensation package. In 2017, he led the Wasps to a runner-up finish in the Premiership final.
Barbarians
Young has been head coach of the Barbarians several times from 2008 to 2013, first on their 2008 end of season tour. He led the Baa-Baas to a victory over Belgium, winning 84–10 in Brussels, but the Barbarians lost 39–14 to Ireland and 17–14 to England. Young led the team to a 35–26 win over England, but lost to Australia 55–7 in Sydney in 2009. In 2011, the Barbarians won 38–32 against England and 31–28 against Wales. In 2013, Young coached them to a 40–12 defeat by England at Twickenham. In 2013 the team also played in Hong Kong against the British and Irish Lions as part of their tour to Australia; the Barbarians lost 8-59, their largest defeat by an international side.
