Former England prop and Exeter coach Robin Cowling dies, aged 82
The ex-England prop joined Chiefs in 1998
Last updated 3rd Aug 2026
Former England prop and Exeter coach Robin Cowling has died aged 82.
Cowling won eight caps for his country between 1977 and 1979 and represented Gloucester and Leicester during his playing career.
He joined Exeter as a coach in 1998 and had a spell as interim team manager in 2009 following the sacking of director of rugby Pete Drewett.
Cowling worked with the club’s academy and helped bring through a generation of talented young players including Jack Nowell, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Ben Moon.
Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter told the club website: “I cannot express enough how much Robin contributed to the success we have had as a club and to the success some young players, in particular those from Cornwall, have had because of his absolute determination to get the best out of people.
“My first experience with Robin was when he would bring young players up from Cornwall to train with the senior group. The amount of time he was prepared to invest in them to give them an opportunity to become professional players was admirable.
“Several of those players went on to become internationals and even British and Irish Lions.
“I have been receiving messages for several days from players who know he changed their lives, there really can be no bigger compliment than that.”