Robin Cowling

Robin James Cowling (born 24 March 1944) is a former English rugby union player. He played 216 games at prop and back row for Gloucester Rugby, being the nephew of famous Gloucester RFC Captain John A'Bear.

Robin moved to Market Harborough in 1974 to take a post as farm manager and joined Leicester Tigers. He was England reserve prop throughout the following season and went on to win eight England caps with Leicester between 1977 and 1979. Although he didn’t play in the losing John Player Cup Final against Gloucester in 1978, he took part in Leicester’s three successive Cup Final wins in 1979-80-81 and was capped by the Barbarians. He retired at the end of the 1980-81 season.

Robin Cowling has been on the Exeter Chiefs, coaching staff since 1997, apart from two years with Cornish Pirates. When Don Rutherford was RFU Technical Director, he asked Cowling to run a pilot academy scheme in the South West and he has been involved in academy rugby from the outset of the professional game. As team manager and talent scout, he has contributed substantially to Exeter Chiefs’ current success.