Graham Rowntree (born 7 May 1971) is a former English rugby union player and current professional coach. He played as a loosehead prop and earned 23 caps for the England national team. Following his playing career, Rowntree has held coaching positions with several Premiership clubs and national teams.
Early life and education
Rowntree was born in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England. He attended St. Peter's School in York, where he began playing rugby. He later studied at Loughborough University, earning a degree in Sports Science.
Playing career
Club
Rowntree began his senior club career with Coventry RFC before joining the newly formed Leeds Tykes (now Yorkshire Carnegie) in 1996. He remained with Leeds throughout the transition to the professional era, making over 200 appearances and contributing to the club’s promotion to the English Premiership in 1998.
International
Rowntree made his debut for England on 4 November 1995 against South Africa. He was a member of the England squad that reached the final of the 1999 Rugby World Cup and participated in the 1996 and 1997 Five Nations Championships, the latter of which England won. His international career concluded in 2002, after which he retired from playing in 2003.
Coaching career
Leeds Tykes
Immediately after retiring, Rowntree joined the coaching staff at Leeds Tykes as a forwards coach, a role he held until the club’s financial difficulties in 2005.
Harlequins
In 2005, he was appointed forwards coach for Harlequins RFC, where he remained for eight seasons. During his tenure, Harlequins won the 2011–12 Premiership title.
England national team
Rowntree served as a specialist scrum coach for the England national team from 2015 to 2019, contributing to the squad’s preparations for the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups.
Leicester Tigers
In 2020, Rowntree was appointed head coach of Leicester Tigers. Under his leadership, the club secured a Premiership final appearance in the 2021–22 season.
Personal life
Rowntree is married to Laura, and the couple has two children. He is involved in charitable activities supporting youth rugby development and has spoken publicly about player welfare and post‑career transition.
Honours and awards
- England Rugby Union: Five Nations Championship winner (1996)
- Harlequins RFC: English Premiership champion (2011–12)
- Individual: Inducted into the Leeds Tykes Hall of Fame (2014)
References
Information compiled from publicly available records of the Rugby Football Union, club archives, and verified sports news outlets.