Product Code Database
Christopher Robert Andrew (born 18 February 1963) is a former English rugby union player who as a fly-half played 71 Tests for England between 1985 and 1997. Since his retirement from playing he has held administration roles in both rugby and cricket. He was formerly the Director of Rugby of Newcastle Falcons and Professional Rugby Director at the RFU. He was Chief Executive of Sussex County Cricket Club before joining the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2024 as Managing Director of the professional game.
As a player, Andrew was assured in his kicking and defensive skills off both feet. Andrew also had a brief career in first-class cricket whilst at University and played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club's Second XI.
Andrew was born in Richmond, North Yorkshire, England on 18 February 1963.
He joined Nottingham for one season in 1985/86 and then joined Wasps FC where he was first choice fly-half throughout most of the eight seasons he spent with the north London club. At Wasps FC he won the English League in 1990, eventually leaving to join Newcastle Gosforth in 1995 as both a player and as director of rugby. Newcastle Falcons history
The club had just been bought out by Sir John Hall in the lead-up to the game turning professional; they became the Falcons of today. During his time in charge of Newcastle Falcons he is credited with discovering Jonny Wilkinson. In 1991 he joined the famous Stade Toulousain (France) for one season. He was an ever-present when Newcastle Falcons won the 1997-98 Premiership. His playing career was ended in 1999 after an injury in training.
Critics of the England side blamed him for kicking the ball too much rather than passing - perhaps unfairly since England three times broke the Five Nations records for tries scored, and points scored, with Andrew as fly-half (in 1990 despite not even winning the tournament, and again in 1992 and 1995): however it was undeniable that England's game plan was based very much more around their forwards than their backs, with kicking for territory and competing to win line-outs and rucks in opposition territory being a major part of the tactic. England did, however, enjoy a great deal of success with him as their Number 10.
Inconsistent early in his career as a place-kicker for penalties and conversions, and often ceding that duty to fullbacks Webb and Hodgkinson (only to have to take some kicks anyway, when Webb also proved inconsistent early in his own career), Andrew improved that aspect of his game greatly, until by the end of his career he was among the best in the world at it, as well as being a reliable source of dropped-goals.
He played in 3 Rugby World Cup competitions; 1987 (making 2 appearances), 1991 and 1995. Curiously, just as Jonny Wilkinson had beaten Australia in the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final with a drop goal, the last time Australia lost in the same competition was in 1995. In that year, it was Andrew who nailed a drop goal on the stroke of full-time to beat the Wallabies 25–22. Four years before, it was another late drop-goal by Andrew, in the semi-final against Scotland, that took England to the final against Australia.
In 1989 he had the honour of captaining the British and Irish Lions against France in a rare "home" match for the Lions. The game formed part of the celebrations of the bi-centennial of the French Revolution. In the final match, against ANZAC, of the Lions' victorious '89 tour to Australia, Andrew came on at inside center as a substitute for the injured Brendan Mullen. Andrew also toured to New Zealand with the Lions in 1993, starting at flyhalf over his England rival Barnes. The Lions lost the test series to New Zealand 2–1.
On 6 January 2011, Andrew's role as director of elite rugby at the Rugby Football Union was scrapped in an overhaul of the organisation's structure. It was reported that Andrew was invited to apply for one of the new roles created by this process, that of operations director. At a press conference on 16 November 2011 Andrew's position was described as Director of Elite Rugby and he reportedly took several attempts to (inconclusively) describe his responsibilities. He resigned as the RFU's director of professional rugby in February 2016.
On 10 November 2017, Andrew was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame at a ceremony held in the Hall's facility in Rugby.
In November 2016, Andrew was appointed chief executive of Sussex County Cricket Club. Rob Andrew: Sussex name ex-England rugby player as chief executive, BBC Sport, 23 November 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016. After seven years in the role he joined the England and Wales Cricket Board as Managing Director of the professional game.
|
|
