Julian Gardner (rugby union)
Julian Michael Gardner (born Brisbane, 12 May 1964) is an Australian-Italian former rugby union player and a current coach. He played as a flanker.
Gardner first played at Wests Rugby. He had then is debut for Australia, having 4 caps, from 1987 to 1988.
He moved to Italy to play for Rugby Rovigo, in 1991/92. He also adopted Italian citizenship in virtue of an Italian grandmother. He was Rugby Rovigo player until 1993/94, moving then to Rugby Roma Olimpic, where he played in 1994/95. Gardner played for Benetton Rugby Treviso, from 1995/96 to 1997/98, where he won the Italian Championship title in 1996/97.
Shortly before adopting Italian citizenship he was called for Italy, where he had 20 caps, from 1992 to 1998, scoring 4 tries, 20 points on aggregate. He was called for the 1995 Rugby World Cup, playing in three games but without scoring. He was member of the team that beaten France by 40-32 at the final of the 1995-1997 FIRA Trophy, scoring the second try at the minute 34.[1]
After finishing his player career, he returned to Australia, where he was the coach of Australia Sevens national team, from 2000 to 2002, and Queensland Reds Academy.