Sir Clive Woodward is recognised as a legend of the Rugby Union, having enjoyed a successful national and international playing career, before coaching England to historic success. The former Director of Sports at the British Olympic Association now balances his commitments as a leading sports pundit with his global speaking engagements. Able to lead others to replicate the success of his teams, Woodward offers entertaining talks on developing a winning mindset and other essential qualities from his career, along with insider anecdotes from over 40 years in the industry.
Leading the number one ranked team in the world at the time into the 2003 World Cup is one of the most iconic moments of Clive's coaching career. Supporting, strategising and championing the team to success, Clive was the Head Coach of England when they won the 2003 Rugby World Cup - becoming the only Northern Hemisphere side to do so. Following two Six Nations wins in 2000 and 2001, the Grand Slam in 2003 and the most marked improvement of the national team in decades, the World Cup win further solidified Clive's place as an unparalleled, history-making coaching legend. Further emphasising his status as a legendary coach, Clive is also renowned for bringing technology and analysis to sports, such as the introduction of skin-tight sports clothing for enhanced performance. For his unprecedented achievements, Clive was Knighted in 2004 and inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2011.
Prior to his illustrious coaching period, Woodward had gained a reputation as a talented player, joining the impressive Leicester Tigers squad after completing his sports science degree at Loughborough University. Playing a consistent and strong centre position for the side, Woodward was soon called up to the national team, making his debut in 1980 against Ireland. Proving a fierce competitor, Woodward retired from professional play having achieved a total of 21 caps for his country, and established himself on the international scene. Since then, Clive has enjoyed continued success in sports, having also been a manager in Premiership football and Rugby.
During his tenure at the British Olympic Association, Clive worked as the Director of Sport, along with leading Team GB at the 2012 Olympic Games. Firmly positioning himself as a preeminent figure in the sports industry, Clive's knowledge of sports strategy and a leadership record that is second to none, he now acts as a pundit for ITV Sports. Clive has also since become the Creator of TCUP (Thinking Correctly Under Pressure) and the Founding Chairman of Hive Learning - a digital learning experience created to help teams and organisations to learn better, together. Aside from his entrepreneurship, Clive has also become a Board Member of Aura Technology, the UK's fastest-growing tech business, and has been bestowed with an Honorary Doctor of Technology from Loughborough University, Alma Mater.
Possessing refined presenting skills, Clive’s lasting legacy is in his speaking engagements. Champions Speakers is incredibly proud to be an official speaker agent for Sir Clive Woodward, hiring him for countless events throughout the year to supply his expertise. Backed by over 40 years in sports, Woodward’s talks expertly navigate how to achieve a winning mindset, strive for continual learning, embracing technology in unconventional industries and of course a plethora of entertaining anecdotes. His previous clients include the likes of Heineken, HSBC, Sainsbury’s and you could be next.
In recognition of his impact as a powerful coach, Sir Clive Woodward was recently honoured as one of the World's Best Keynote Speakers on Building High-Performance Teams! In April 2023 we sat down virtually with Sir Clive Woodward and discussed his memories of winning the World Cup with England and top tips for building and maintaining high-performing teams. Watch our Exclusive Interview with Sir Clive Woodward.
Books
Winning!
How To Win: Rugby Leadership From Twickenham To Tokyo
Reviews
Sir Clive Woodward received a 5 star rating across 25 events in 2023
Agent Recommendation
"Sir Clive Woodward is a premier expert on building high-performance teams, renowned for his exceptional leadership as the former Coach of England's Men's National Rugby Team. He led England to their historic 2003 World Cup victory, emphasising strategy, innovation and a winning mindset. His engaging talks offer invaluable insights and entertaining anecdotes from over 40 years in sports."
Sir Clive Woodward's official speaking topics are listed below:
DNA of a Champion:
Talent Alone is Not Enough
Based on the notion that “Great Teams Are Made of Great Individuals”, Clive has identified four criteria, which he believes characterise a champion individual or team in both business and sport. ‘The DNA of a Champion’ details each of these criteria, but also how they can be coached to achieve high-performing teams.
Winning Culture:
How Do You Want To Be Remembered?
Focused on “creating an environment so good that everyone wants to be a part of and nobody ever wants to leave,” Clive’s talk on creating a Winning Culture encapsulates the collaborative leadership model Clive successfully applied to the World Cup-winning England rugby team and Team GB at London 2012.
Relentless Learning:
I Never Lose, I Either Win or Learn
Having worked with champion teams and individuals in sport and business over the last two decades Clive has identified that the ability to learn and take on new skills is a key characteristic of any Champion individual. In this talk on “Relentless Learning” Clive will explain the importance of learning and collaboration in high performance and describe how he coaches teams and individuals to learn better together every day.
Tackling Change:
100 Things 1% Better
Clive's reputation as an innovative leader is driven by his determined approach to challenge the traditional school of thought and find new, different ways of operating and this has never been more important in today’s ever-changing corporate world. In his talk on “Tackling Change” Clive will highlight why it is important to embrace change and illustrate how creating a culture of relentless learning can help teams and organisations to adapt and succeed.
The Power of Data & Technology:
Whoever Wins In It Tends to Win
Data and technology are very powerful tools in sports and business. But only if everyone understands Why and How to use it. In this talk, Clive explains how he uses data and technology with the teams that he works with and the impact it can have on individual and team performance.
Psychological Safety:
Fostering a secure and supportive team environment is essential for high performance in both sport and business. Drawing on his experience leading England’s Rugby World Cup-winning team and working with business leaders, Clive emphasises the importance of every team member feeling empowered to contribute without fear. He highlights how psychological safety builds trust, open communication and accountability, driving innovation and adaptability. Through real-world examples, Clive shares practical strategies for leaders to create a culture where individuals feel valued, encouraged to share ideas, and confident to take risks. His engaging insights provide actionable takeaways to strengthen team dynamics, enhance collaboration, and develop a winning mindset.
Resilience:
Success from Setbacks
Winning is never a straight line. In this inspiring talk, Sir Clive Woodward shares how setbacks are essential to success, drawing on his experience leading England to Rugby World Cup victory and working with Team GB at the Olympics. Through real-world examples, he explores how performers embrace failure, adapt, embrace pressure and turn challenges into opportunities. He highlights the importance of a champion’s mindset, strong teamship and a winning culture in building resilience and overcoming adversity. Clive’s message is clear: success belongs to those who learn, adapt, and persevere, turning setbacks into their greatest competitive advantage.
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
"The session went really well and Clive was great. Lots of positive feedback" - Adrian, Head of Internal Communications, Avanti West Coast
"We have received excellent feedback on Sir Clive's speech. We were looking for something relevant to leadership and teamwork with a focus on sustaining high performance. The credibility of techniques that have been tried and tested in both the business and sporting world were key to our audience of high performing experienced professionals. The sporting examples were of course incredibly engaging to an audience that has an interest in the people and events in Sir Clive's background. We did a Q and A session which was very enjoyable as he was naturally at ease in telling anecdotes, quick-witted and funny. The team was very helpful and easy to deal with" - Karen, Carey Olsen
"Sir Clive was a pleasure to have with us last Wednesday, he was very professional and personable and nothing seemed to be too much of an ask. Our clients CEO was extremely happy that the brief was met and enjoyed his company for the evening. The delegates remained engaged throughout the speech and enjoyed the Q&A where Sir Clive stood and answered questions and provided anecdotes of his career that were very entertaining. The use of slides and video clips were well used throughout and the clear link to his leadership style through business and sport was very well received. We would undoubtedly recommend Sir Clive to speak at future events." - Anya, Force Four Creative Ltd
"The whole night was a success but CW was the star attraction and there was a really good atmosphere from start to finish. Sir Clive was on time at 6:30 and stayed for drinks up on the walkway - and was spot on in between! Signed every book (all 70 went to new homes), gave an “inspirational” presentation getting plenty of laughs too in the right places." - Thomson Reuters
"It was a great pleasure to meet Sir Clive, and his presentation was incredibly well received. His presentation was aligned perfectly with the day, while also being very engaging and entertaining. It was the key highlight of our meeting; excellent feedback was received all round. Please extend our thanks to Sir Clive once again." - Vicky, Vivid Medical Communications
"[Our event] went brilliantly. Sir Clive was a massive hit with all. Please can you pass on our sincere thanks." - Nic, Strategic Development Manager, Retirement Advantage
"In short he was a true pro; polite, charming, punctual, attentive and organised. His presentation was on point and he WOWED the audience - he happily attended the dinner and helped hand out the awards." - Roebuck Productions
"It was a great evening thanks. Lots of emails since from our guests saying what a good time they had." - Gareth, Cokethorpe School
"Just wanted to pass on our thanks to Sir Woodward for speaking at our meeting on Friday. He was extremely engaging, and we’ve already had some fantastic feedback from the client and their teams; please pass on our thanks and best wishes." - Harry, H4B Manchester
"The presentation from Sir Clive was very engaging and very much appreciated by our audience who were provided with some useful insights which they could take away and apply in their day to day lives. Sir Clive and Matt were a pleasure to work with in the lead up to the event, allowing us the opportunity to run through the platform with them on a couple of occasions. Sir Clive’s willingness to answer some additional questions post event was also very much appreciated as well as his engagement on social media pre-event." - Sophie, Ciob
- 2023 - Starred on The Accelerating Excellence Podcast with James King
- 2011 - Inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame
- 2008 - Deputy Chef de Mission at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games
- 2007 - Appointed as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Directors of Leicester Tigers
- 2006 - Director of Elite Performance for the British Olympic Association
- 2005 - Performance Director of Southampton Football Club
- 2005 - Coach of the British & Irish Lions Tour to New Zealand
- 2004 - Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Technology from Loughborough University
- 2004 - Published the autobiography "Winning!"
- 2003 - Named IRB International Coach of the Year
- 2003 - Coach of the England Men's National Rugby Union World Cup-winning team
- 1997 - Coach of the England Men's National Rugby Union Team
- Honorary President of the Wooden Spoon Society
How to hire Sir Clive Woodward
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Sir Clive Woodward for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
