Where are they now? Bath and Leicester's 1996 Pilkington Cup final teams

The 1996 Pilkington Cup Final between Bath and Leicester Tigers attracted a then world-record crowd of 75,000 at Twickenham, but it’s not the reason why the West Country side’s 16–15 win still lives long in the memory.

The Tigers were heading for victory on 4 May 1996 when they led 15–9 with less than a minute left on the clock thanks to tries from Niall Malone and Matt Poole and a conversion and a penalty from John Liley.

Bath’s nine points came from two Jon Callard penalties and a Mike Catt drop-goal, and they launched a series of desperate attacks to try and salvage a late, dramatic victory.

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After a fourth penalty in 90 seconds, referee Steve Lander strolled between the posts and awarded a penalty try, which Callard converted to set up a league and cup double in one of the most controversial and dramatic endings to a final.

An angry Neil Back manhandled Lander, who fell over players still in a ruck at his feet and was later handed a six-month ban from the RFU despite an explanation that he mistook Lander for opposite number Andy Robinson.

But what happened to the teams and referee Lander?

Bath

Jon Callard: England full-back went into coaching and works as a sports consultant at JC16.

Audley Lumsden: England B full-back is a physics and games teacher at Lord Wandsworth College in Hook, Hampshire.

Phil de Glanville: England centre is the co-owner of an executive recruitment firm, Hanover Fox.

Adedayo Adebayo: England centre runs Premier Lifestyle, a Nigerian-based corporate hospitality business.

Jon Sleightholme: England winger is Director of Outplacement and Talent Acquisition Solutions at insurance firm NFP.

Mike Catt: England fly-half is working as attack coach for the Super Rugby Pacific outfit NSW Waratahs.

Andy Nicol: Scotland scrum-half is the chief executive of learning and development company ABSTRACT.

Dave Hilton: The Bristol-born Scotland prop is a programme facilitator for the Justice Department in Bristol.

Graham Dawe: England hooker has run South Combe Farm, Milton Abbot, on the Devon–Cornwall border.

John Mallett: England prop is the director of rugby at Millfield School, where his pupils included Mako Vunipola.

Martin Haag: Twice-capped England lock works in business development for South West Business Finance.

Nigel Redman: England lock has been RFU’s team performance director after a similar role with British Swimming.

Andy Robinson: Former England flanker has coached England, Scotland and Romania and is on Bath’s coaching staff.

Steve Ojomoh: Nigerian-born flanker is a director of Little Willow Day Nurseries in Bath and Corsham.

Eric Peters: Scotland No. 8 is Director of Strategic Asset Management at Jones Lang LaSalle.

Leicester Tigers

John Liley: The full-back was Director of Rugby at Ampleforth College and Director of Sport at Cundall Manor School.

Steve Hackney: England A winger is a marketing expert helping start, build and scale highly successful businesses.

Stuart Potter: England centre ran a family insurance business and is also a director of a sports agency, Agent Rugby Ltd.

Richie Robinson: Centre who is now a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Spire Leicester Hospital.

Rory Underwood: England winger worked as a pilot and in management consultancy, setting up Wingman Ltd.

Niall Malone: Former Ireland fly-half was a teacher and is now Ulster Rugby’s Head Analyst.

Aadel Kardooni: Scrum-half, the Iranian-born player in Premiership history, is a successful financial futures broker.

Graham Rowntree: England and Lions prop went into coaching and was Munster’s head coach until October 2024.

Richard Cockerill: Former England hooker is currently coaching the Georgia national side and the Black Lion.

Darren Garforth: England prop and director of the family business Garforth Scaffolding in Kenilworth, Warwickshire.

Martin Johnson: Lock and England’s World Cup-winning captain has property interests and works in the media.

Matt Poole: Lock has been a commercial director of several businesses, including Tigers Events.

John Wells: Flanker was head coach of Leicester and Newcastle and coached Rugby Colorno in Italy.

Neil Back: England and Lions flanker is the business development director at TPS Visual Communications.

Dean Richards: England and Lions No. 8, now works as a keynote speaker after a long coaching career.

Referee:

Steve Lander: A former teacher, now Director & Sport Consultant with a firm called Winningway.