Peter Wheeler (rugby union)

Peter Wheeler
Birth name	Peter John Wheeler
Date of birth	26 November 1948 (age 76)
Place of birth	London, England
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Position(s)	Hooker
Senior career
Years	Team
1969–1985	Leicester Tigers
International career
Years	Team
1975–1984	England
1977, 1980	British Lions

Peter John Wheeler, CBE DL (born 26 November 1948) is a former England international rugby union player who played hooker and was Chief Executive of Leicester Tigers.

Early life

Wheeler attended Brockley County Grammar School and went on to play for Old Brockleians Rugby Club and Kent for three seasons.

Playing career

Wheeler was considered a tough and technically proficient hooker and was integral to Leicester's innovative and expansive style of play.^[4] Wheeler captained Leicester Tigers to three consecutive wins in the John Player Cup from 1979 to 1981 and played 349 games for the club from 1969 to 1985.

He was an early advocate of league rugby in the 1980s.^[5]

He made his England debut on 1 February 1975 against France, and his last appearance on 17 March 1984 against Wales, gaining 41 caps in between, including 5 as captain.^[6]

He went on the 1977 British Lions tour to New Zealand and the 1980 British Lions tour to South Africa.

Rugby administration

Wheeler coached Tigers in the inaugural league season which ended with them as champions. He then joined the Tigers organising committee.

When open professionalism was declared in 1996 he was appointed the Chief Executive of Leicester Tigers^[1] and held the position until 2010 when he was appointed "Rugby Director", though this saw little change to his day to day role.^[7] He retired in 2015 and was made a life member of Leicester, who he had served in various roles over 40 years.^[8]

References

^ ^a ^b Leicester Tigers Official yearbook 2008–09. Leicester Tigers. 2008. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-9554366-2-8.
^ Leicester Tigers board
^ Lions profile
^ "Peter Wheeler". Rugby World. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
^ Farmer, Stuart; Hands, David. Tigers - Official history of Leicester Football Club. The Rugby DevelopmentFoundation. p. 200. ISBN 978-0-9930213-0-5.
^ "Peter Wheeler". ESPNscrum. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
^ "Peter Wheeler takes up new rugby director role at Leicester Tigers". Leicester Mercury. 12 February 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2016.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "Wheeler becomes Tigers Life Member" (Press release). 3 November 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2016.