Ian Watson (rugby league)

Ian "Watto" Watson

Personal information
Full name	Ian Roger Watson[1]
Born	(1976-10-27) 27 October 1976 (age 47) Salford, Greater Manchester, England
Playing information
Position	Scrum-half, Hooker
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1994–97 Salford Reds 42 7 30 8 92 1996(loan) → Workington Town 5 1 15 0 34 1998–00 Swinton Lions 92 22 152 14 406 2001 Widnes Vikings 25 0 72 2 146 2002 Salford City Reds 23 2 0 1 9 2003 Rochdale Hornets 32 7 27 6 88 2004 Oldham 29 6 5 7 41 2005–06 Swinton Lions 36 7 8 0 44 2006 Widnes Vikings 16 0 1 0 2 2007 Halifax 30 3 9 1 31 2008–09 Leigh Centurions 52 13 62 4 180 2010–14 Swinton Lions 111 10 6 0 52 Total 493 78 387 43 1125 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1995–11 Wales 30 7 1 0 30
Coaching information
Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 2014 Swinton Lions 18 5 0 13 28 2015–20 Salford Red Devils 164 80 0 84 49 2021–24 Huddersfield Giants 90 43 1 36 48 Total 272 128 1 133 47
Source: [2][3][4] As of 9 January 2023

Ian Watson (born 27 October 1976) is a professional rugby league coach, and a former Wales international who played as a scrum-half or hooker in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.

He played for the Salford City Reds, Workington Town, Swinton Lions, Widnes Vikings, Rochdale Hornets, Oldham, Halifax and the Leigh Centurions. Watson was a goal-kicker who holds the appearance record for Wales with 30 caps.^[2][3][4]

Watson has coached the Swinton Lions in the Championship and the Salford Red Devils and Huddersfield Giants in the Super League. He is considered one of the best British coaches in the game after taking unfancied Salford and Huddersfield to Finals.