Jason Leonard OBE

Jason Leonard is a former professional rugby union player widely regarded as one of the greatest props in the history of the sport.

During his 14 year international rugby career, he won a then-record 114 caps for England, won four Six Nations Grand Slams and the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Part of the British & Irish Lions team, Jason went on three tours and was a member of the Lions squad that won the test series during their 1997 tour of South Africa. He played club rugby for Barking RFC, Saracens and Harlequins, making 290 appearances for his club, Harlequins, spanning both the amateur and professional game.

In 2002, Jason earned an MBE for services to sport, which became an OBE after England’s Rugby World Cup success. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2014.

Jason retired from Rugby in 2004 and since then has continued to play an integral part in global rugby and has become a sought-after corporate and entertainment speaker.

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Type Of Speaker

After Dinner Resilience Speaker Sport Virtual Speakers

More About Jason Leonard OBE

Jason Leonard | Charity

Jason Leonard is Founder and Chairman of the Atlas Foundation, which exists to help deprived children around the world work towards a better future through rugby communities and initiatives. Since it began, over £4million has been raised, and 190,000 children have been supported in more than 40 communities in 19 countries.

Atlas Foundation uses its global network of rugby champions to identify communities where there is a need and an ability for the charity to make a meaningful impact on children’s lives. It uses rugby to engage and inspire children in a safe, fun environment. Working alongside the community, it identifies the specific barriers children face and partners with a range of local organisations to deliver additional tailored support across education, health, and inclusion.

Jason spends an enormous amount of time working on behalf of many other charities to support fundraising and raise awareness for their causes.

Jason Leonard | Post-Retirement

Since retiring in 2004, Jason Leonard has remained a huge presence in global rugby, where he is highly active, providing his administrative experience and expertise at the board level. He was the Chairman of the British & Irish Lions from 2018-2022 and remains on the Executive Board. He was President of England Rugby(RFU) from 2015-16 when England hosted the Rugby World Cup in 2015.

Jason Leonard OBE | The Autobiography

In 2001, Jason first published Jason Leonard: The Autobiography, which tells his story starting in the days of amateur rugby, when the Cockney Carpenter began playing for Barking. The book tells of his big break, which came when he was invited to join the England squad for their tour to Argentina in 1990.

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Rob Andrew, Will Carling, Lawrence Dallaglio, Brian Moore, Dick Best and Clive Woodward are just some of the high-profile characters of whom Leonard has plenty of stories to tell. He also recalls some of the greats such as David Campese and Jonah Lomu, whom he has played with or against on Lions tours, for the Barbarians and in three World Cups.

Jason Leonard OBE | Speaker

Corporate Speaking

Jason offers a variety of leadership themes including

– Success planning
– Mental strength
– Resilience
– Pressure management
– Dealing with adversity
– Communication
– Responsibility
– Accountability
– Outward thinking
– Team psychology

His experience from being a rugby world cup champion to his wide-ranging formal boardroom roles such as Chairman of the British Lions and President of the RFU and the wide range of consulting work he does, makes him a versatile speaker.

Jason Leonard OBE hire former English Rugby union player speaker book at agent Great British Speakers.

Jason Leonard – Entertainment Speaking

With hundreds of tales from old school touring, Jason reminisces about everything from drinking to notorious teammates, the trouble they got into, and everything in between. All that whilst playing rugby under huge pressure at the top of the global game.

Rugby has changed since those days, and Jason will shock, entertain, and make audiences laugh as only he can as he brings it to life.