Alex Brown (rugby union, born 1979)

Alex Brown (born 17 May 1979 in Bristol) is a former English rugby union player, who played at lock position.

Alex Brown
Birth nameAlexander Thomas Brown
Date of birth (1979-05-17) 17 May 1979
Place of birthBristol, England
Height2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)
Weight116 kg (18 st 4 lb)[1]
SchoolColston's Collegiate School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Youth career
  Clifton
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1998–1999
1999–2000
2000–2003
2003–2012		 Bath Rugby
--->Pontypool
Bristol Shoguns
Gloucester Rugby

86
235

(20)
(40)
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2003
2006–2007		 England Saxons
England
3
(0)
Correct as of 8 July 2014

He attended Colston's Collegiate School in Bristol.

He started playing rugby at u7s level for Clifton in 1985 and worked his way through the age levels there

After a brief period with Bath and Pontypool, he joined his home city club Bristol and was a key player when they won the first Under 21 Zurich Premiership. Under the tutelage of rugby director Dean Ryan, he was voted the club’s player of the year in the 2000–01 season. Brown's father played rugby for Clifton.

Brown signed for Gloucester Rugby in the summer of 2003 rejoining Dean Ryan. The England Saxons international topped the line-out statistics charts during the 2003–04 season and was voted the players' player of the year.

He played for England Saxons in the first Churchill Cup and was called into the England senior squad for the 2005 Autumn Internationals.[2]

Brown was expected to make his international debut against Australia in November, but he suffered a neck injury and was ruled out of the entire Autumn programme.[3]

He made his senior international debut for England during their 2006 summer tour, in a defeat to Australia.[4]

Brown then played in both tests on the 2007 summer tour, England losing both games to South Africa.[5] He picked up the Gillette Power Award for the 2006–07 season. He is widely regarded as one of the most consistent performers in the Premiership and then signed a three-year contract extension with Gloucester until 2011. After proving himself one of the most consistent lock forwards in the premiership,[6] Brown's contract was extended until 2013. Unfortunately, following an shoulder injury sustained during the first match of the 2012-13 season, Brown was forced to announce his retirement on 20 December 2012[7]

He was appointed Rugby Operations Manager at Kingsholm Stadium with Gloucester Rugby in 2013.[8] He became a director in 2019,[9] In 2020 he was further promoted to Chief Operating Officer; a role which will partly replace director of rugby.[10]

References
  1. "Aviva Premiership Rugby – Gloucester Rugby". web page. Premier Rugby. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
  2. "Autumn international squads". The Daily Telegraph. 25 October 2005. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  3. "Brown blow for England". The Daily Telegraph. 25 October 2005. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  4. "Australia 34–3 England". BBC. 11 June 2006. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  5. "South Africa 58–10 England". BBC. 26 May 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  6. "Alex Brown: Player Biog". Gloucester Rugby. 1 August 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  7. "Alex Brown: Gloucester lock forced to retire through injury". BBC. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  8. "Alex Brown named as new Rugby Operations Manager at Gloucester". Gloucester Rugby. 23 April 2013.
  9. "Alex Brown named as Gloucester Rugby's new Commercial Director". Gloucester Rugby. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  10. "Gloucester Rugby announce the appointment of George Skivington as Head Coach". Gloucester Rugby. 27 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
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