Ashley Rowden

British sports speaker Ashley Rowden is one of the most well respected rugby union referees’s currently working in Britain. Based in Berkshire Ashley has a wealth of experience as a referee and has toured the UK working as a rugby speaker. Ashley has sent over 90 players to the sin-bin, boasting an illustrious career of officiating 150 plus premiership matches. Holding his first, albeit unofficial, referee-ing post aged just 13, Ashley Rowden has gone on to be the longest serving referee in English rugby union history; his work as a rugby speaker draws on more than a decade’s worth of experience and covers all manner of shocking incidents. Becoming interested in refereeing aged just seven years old, Ashley took inspiration from his father to reach the stage that he is at today. Ashley's core values really comply with the values of dignity, respect and gentlemanly conduct that Rugby optimises.

Ashley has explained in previous sports speaker presentations that he bore witness to the moment when Scottish player and fellow rugby speaker Simon Fenn lost part of his ear and broke records by being the first ref to send off both Neil Back and Martin Johnson in the same game. Thanks to his veteran status Ashley’s work as an after dinner speaker is always entertaining, he has a wealth of anecdotes to share with his audiences and offers an intimate yet often unheard insight into the world of rugby union. As a rugby speaker, Ashley has toured up and down the UK and been employed by a number of high profile corporate clients, however he is especially fond of appearing at specialist sports events. A truly entertaining guest Ashley is available as both as an after dinner speaker and also as the host or presenter at award ceremonies, he has appeared at rugby union events and club functions for his local Berkshire team.