Introduction
Dan McKellar (born 17 July 1976) is an Australian professional rugby union coach. He is currently an assistant coach of the Super Rugby team the Brumbies. McKellar was appointed as head coach of the University of Canberra Vikings for the inaugural season of Australia's National Rugby Championship in 2014.
Early life
McKellar grew up in Burdekin in North Queensland. He was introduced to rugby at Townsville Grammar School. He played first grade club rugby at an early age; as a teenager he helped the Burdekin Canetoads win the Townsville premiership in 1994.
Rugby career
As a loosehead prop, McKellar played more than 150 premier grade games over a decade at Souths Rugby Club in Brisbane, winning a premiership in 2000. He was a member of the Queensland Reds Super Rugby squad in 2005/06. He also had stints playing overseas in Scotland and Ireland. McKellar began learning the art of coaching at Wicklow, a small rugby club just outside Dublin in Ireland. He was playing club rugby and acting as his side’s assistant coach in 2001, and took over the main player-coach role from 2002 to 2005.
Coaching career
McKellar was a premier grade assistant coach at Souths Rugby Club in Brisbane in 2007, and the head coach from 2008 to 2010. He was appointed as coaching director and head coach of the Tuggeranong Vikings Rugby Club in Canberra for seasons 2011 and 2012 which included back to back premierships in premier grade. He also set up the professional rugby academy at the Vikings Club. In February 2013, McKellar moved to Japan to take up a position as forwards coach of Top League team NTT Docomo. McKellar returned to Canberra to sign with the Brumbies as the club’s defence and skills coach for the 2014 Super Rugby season. After the launch of the National Rugby Championship, he was appointed as head coach of the University of Canberra Vikings team to play in the new competition.