Career
A Level 4 qualified coach and coach educator. October 16, 2013, the Zimbabwe Rugby Union appointed Middleton as the new Director of Rugby and his immediate task is working with the Sables who are billed to play at the 2013 Namibian Tri-Nations tournament that also includes Kenya and Namibia. Liam started his coaching career with the u/15s team at Howick High School in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa in 2000.
In January 2002 he left South Africa and joined the coaching staff of the Hartpury College Rugby Academy.
A joint venture between the college and Premiership club Gloucester Reconstruction Finance Corporation in Gloucestershire, England as the Performance Manager. He coached the Hartpury 1stXV with former Wales Assistant Coach, Allan Lewis.
During this time the Academy produced 9 fully capped international players, one British and Irish Lion and several International 7s players. Middleton also coached England Colleges and the British Colleges teams whilst at Hartpury.
In 2008 the RFU created a new Talent Identification role, Liam was employed in this role in 2008.
Following this he joined Bristol Rugby Club (BRFC) in June 2009 as Academy Manager where his reputation for identifying and developing talented players was created. The Academy process established by Middleton produced 13 Bristol 1stXV status and notably England and British and Irish Lions prop Mako Vunipola. In July 2011 Liam was promoted to Head Coach of Bristol Rugby Club.
Known as an innovative and tactically astute coach, he guided the Bristol First team from 8th place in the RFU Championship to 1st place, topping the league by 7 clear points.
During his time in charge he led the Club on their longest run of home victories in the clubs history, and boasted an unbeaten record against perennial Championship performers Bedford Blues. In September 2012 he was named as an Assistant Coach for the Championship XV to play against the New Zealand Maoris, but withdrew due to family commitments.
Middleton left Bristol Rugby Club in March 2013 replaced by former Scotland Head Coach, Andy Robinson. Liam Middleton was Director of Rugby at Cheltenham Reconstruction Finance Corporation from 2005 to 2009, guiding them to promotion to the National Leagues in 2009, where the team scored a record number of league tries in the Clubs history.
Liam Middleton was Head Coach of the Zimbabwe 7s team from June 2004 to December 2010.
Known as the ‘Cheetahs’, Middleton developed the National 7s team into a recognised competitive team on the Institutional Review Board World Sevens series winning several Shield and Bowl finals. Middleton was Head Coach of the Great Britain Students 7s team during the World University Games 2006 in Rome where they were silver Medalists.