Leon Lloyd

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Leon Lloyd bigraphy, stories - English rugby union player

Leon Lloyd : biography

22 September 1977 –

Leon David Lloyd (born 22 September 1977 in Coventry) is a retired English rugby union footballer who played wing or outside centre for Leicester Tigers between 1996 and 2007, spending his final 2007/8 season at Gloucester.

Leon Lloyd agreed a deal to leave Leicester Tigers for Guinness Premiership team Gloucester Rugby. – BBC News; Gloucester Rugby sign Lloyd from Tigers, 21 May 2007

Prior to making his début for the Tigers first team Leon was a successful try scorer for the Tigers Youth XV and Development XV before a serious car accident sidelined him for six months.

Lloyd made his Tigers début aged 17 in 1996, and displaced ageing England international Rory Underwood from the side. He was part of the squad that won the Madrid Sevens that year. Lloyd was a substitute in the 1997 Heineken Cup Final which Tigers lost 28-9 to Brive. He played for England U21, England 7s, the Barbarians England Colts and England Schools.

Under backs coach Joel Stransky, Lloyd was shifted inside from the wing to outside centre.

Lloyd was included in England’s 1999 World Cup squad but didn’t feature in any matches. He went onto gain his first two caps the following season as a replacement against South Africa in 2000, but concern was raised about his discipline as he was seen punching a Springbok player.

He played in the England side during 2001 tour to North America, where he played in three tests and scored two tries. Unfortunately he suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery and kept him out of the Tigers squad for the start of the 2001/02 season and ultimately cost him his place in the England team.

However, he recovered well and scored two tries, including the match-winner in Tigers’ 2001 Heineken Cup Final, only to be injured again when Leicester retained the trophy in May 2002. That injury also ruled him out of the England Sevens squad for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester A move to Gloucester RFC in 2007 saw Lloyd play only 6 games, scoring 5 tries but ultimately led to his retirement in August 2008.

As a budding entrepreneur, Lloyd was appointed as Foundation Director for Oakham School in June 2009, a leading independent school in the Midlands, where he will use his excellent contacts and netwoking skills to help raise funds for the school, ensuring its continued success and financial security.

He is an active ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, helping change the lives of dissadvantaged young people. As an ambassador for the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation he helps raise funds through rugby and rugby contacts for underprivileged children in Vietnam and Mongolia.

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