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Where are they now? Bath and Leicester's 1996 Pilkington Cup final teams
By Neil Fissler
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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