Ex-Tigers lock becomes RFU President

Former Leicester Tigers forward Nigel Gillingham OBE has been elected President of the Rugby Football Union.

A second-rower who joined the Tigers from Loughborough Colleges in 1978, Gillingham made 145 first-team appearances for Tigers up to 1984, including the John Player Cup Finals at Twickenham in 1980 and ’83.

He had previously played at the Royal Grammar School Guildford and Richmond, gaining honours with England Schoolboys and England Under-23s, and coupled his rugby with a career in the Royal Air Force.

Now a Life Vice-President of the RAF Rugby Union, he has also been an RFU Council and Management Board member, and the RFU representative on the Rugby Players’ Association. He was awarded an OBE for services to RAF charities and rugby in 2001.