Full name | Roger Miles Uttley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 11 September 1949 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Blackpool | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Position(s) | Lock | ||
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National team(s) | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
1973–1980 1974 |
England British and Irish Lions |
23 4 |
(4) (8) |
National team(s) | |||
Years | Team | Comps |
Roger Miles Uttley (born 11 September 1949) OBE MA is a former English rugby union player.
Roger Uttley played 23 games for England both in the second row and the back row, 5 times as captain, 4 tests in the Lions back row on the undefeated 1974 tour to South Africa.
Roger was born in Blackpool, attended Montgomery High School, and Blackpool Grammar School and played first for Fylde then Gosforth before finishing his career at Wasps.
He coached the successful London and South East Divisional side in the mid to late 80's before working with Geoff Cooke to coach and guide the England XV captained by Will Carling to the final of the 1991 World Cup
He was also assistant coach to the victorious 1989 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.
In 1997 he was asked to manage the England XV, a job he enjoyed doing despite it coinciding with the infamous tour to hell. Due to cutbacks within the RFU the post of manager became financially unviable and he lost his position along with 30 other RFU employees.
His day job has always been in teaching physical education and for 20 years he was Director of that subject at Harrow School. In 2008 he retired to look after his wife and was succeeded by Jesse Coulson.
He is a former President of Sparks and a current council member of the same charity. He is an honorary member of Wooden Spoon the charity for disadvantaged children and young people.
In August 2014, Uttley was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.