Stuart Lancaster

Stuart Lancaster has enjoyed a decadent career at the forefront of the sporting industry, with unique experience of both playing and coaching. A former rugby player and Rugby Union coach, Stuart is best known for the time he spent as the Head Coach of England Rugby and Senior Coach of Leinster Rugby. Aside from his commitments to rugby and coaching, Stuart is also a dedicated keynote speaker and executive coach, translating the lessons and skills he learned in the world of rugby to the world of business. When hired as a speaker, Stuart can share exciting anecdotes from his rugby career, along with his expertise on leadership fundamentals, building high-performance teams, the pitfalls of bad leadership, effective communication and emotional intelligence.

Initially a player before he turned coaching professional, Stuart’s rugby career began playing for Headingley RFC, before moving to Leeds RFU. He later played for the Leeds Tykes, and became the first player for Leeds to play a century of games. Having also played for Wakefield RFC, Stuart was part of the teams that won the 1990 and 1998 Yorkshire County Cup. Due to his mother’s Scottish nationality, Stuart also had the opportunity to represent Scotland as a junior player. Stuart played for both the Scotland U19 and Scotland U21 National Teams, a testament to his early talent. Unfortunately, due to injury, Stuart was forced to retire from playing aged 30, moving into his coaching career in 2000. In 2000, Stuart became the Academy Manager of Yorkshire Carnegie Rugby Union Club, kick-starting his successful coaching career.

In 2005, Stuart was promoted to Director of Rugby for Yorkshire Carnegie Rugby Union Club, before becoming the England Rugby Head of Elite Player Development in 2007. Proving his worth as an impactful coach, Stuart was then given the opportunity to become the Head Coach of England Rugby in 2011. Working at the highest level of international sport, Stuart soon became an expert on all aspects of management, including promoting effective communication and encouraging confidence growth. After eight years of success with the Rugby Football Union, Stuart was appointed as the Senior Coach of Leinster Rugby, working there for six years before joining Racing 92 – a French Top14 side.

Having forged such a decorated career in rugby and coaching, Stuart is now sought after globally to share the expertise he honed during his sporting career. Surviving the pressures of elite sport, Stuart now translates his sporting career into a relatable context for businesses across the world, sharing insights on leadership and team management. Sharing real-world experience, Stuart helps his clients to navigate high-stake situations with ease, applying his expertise on effective leadership to industries of all kinds. Trusted by world-leading companies such as Google, Microsoft and the Bank of Ireland, Stuart is on a mission to guide all organisations to become high performers. When booking Stuart for keynote speeches, you can expect to hear his top tips on team building, improving communication, practical leadership, coaching and more. If you are looking to inspire the next generation of authentic leaders or to inspire improved leadership throughout your organisation, hire Stuart Lancaster today.