Fran Cotton

England rugby union international (born 1947)

Rugby player

Fran Cotton

Birth name| Francis Edward Cotton

|

Date of birth|  (1947-01-03) 3 January 1947 (age 78)
Place of birth| Wigan, England
Height| 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight| 105 kg (16 st 7 lb)[1]
School| Newton-le-Willows Grammar School
University| Loughborough University
Occupation(s)| Businessman
Rugby union career
| Position(s)|  Prop

|

Amateur team(s)
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Points)
|  Liverpool R.F.C. Loughborough Colleges|  |  ()
|  Sale|  |  ()
|  Coventry R.F.C.|  |  ()
|  Lancashire[2]|  |  ()

Correct as of 1 Sept 2006

International career
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Points)
1971-81|  England|  31|  (4)
1974, 1977, 1980|  British Lions|  7|  (0)

Correct as of 1 September 2006

Francis Edward Cotton (born 3 January 1947) is a former rugby union prop forward who played for England and the British Lions. His clubs included Coventry R.F.C. and Sale. A "fearsome" prop,[3] he was primarily a tighthead but also played to a high level at loosehead, winning three Lions caps in 1977 on the left of the front row and the Grand Slam with England in 1980.[4] After retiring, he remained in rugby administration and founded a clothing company. In 2007, Cotton returned to his former club Sale as a member of the club's board.[5]

Cotton was born in Wigan, Lancashire, and went to Loughborough University to study physical education. Cotton was ahead of his time in terms of physical preparation. It was during these years that Cotton would win the Glengarth Sevens at Davenport RUFC, now renamed Stockport Rugby Club, along with Steve Smith and Clive Rees. Cotton made his England debut against Scotland in 1971 and played for them 31 times. He also captained the English team three times.

He represented the Lions on their tours to South Africa in 1974 – playing in all four Tests in the series victory – New Zealand in 1977 and South Africa in 1980 when chest pains sent him home early. It was during the game against the Junior All Blacks on the 1977 tour that the famous 'Mudman' image of Cotton, standing at number one at the front of a lineout while caked head-to-toe in mud, was taken. Captured by Colorsport's Colin Elsey, it became one of the most iconic images of rugby union. He considers the third test of the 1974 series the biggest and most violent game he was ever part of [3]

Cotton was the Tour Manager for the 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa.[6]

With Steve Smith he founded the clothing company Cotton Traders in 1987. In 2008 Cotton Traders was forced to pull out of Burma after an investigation by the Burma Campaign UK uncovered the company was sourcing clothing from Burma. Clothing exports generate significant income for the Burmese dictatorship.[7]

## Charitable work

[edit]

He is an honorary president of the rugby charity Wooden Spoon improving the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in Britain and Ireland.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "History - the History of the British & Irish Lions". Lionsrugby.com.
2. ^ [1] [dead link]
3. ^ a b Baber, Andy (20 September 2024). "Life of a Lion: Fran Cotton - British & Irish Lions". Lionsrugby.com. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
4. ^ "Fran Cotton: Firsts & Lasts | Rugby Football Union". Englandrugby.com. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
5. ^ "Union legend Cotton returns to Sale". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
6. ^ Fordyce, Tom. "British and Irish Lions: The inside story of Living with Lions". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
7. ^ "The Burma Campaign UK: Boycott Success: Cotton Traders Pull Out Of Burma". Burmacampaign.org.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Rugby World. The Greatest Players. Fran Cotton
* Sporting heroes 1

Preceded by

John Pullin

|  English national rugby union captain
1975  | Succeeded by

Tony Neary

|
|

* v
* t
* e

British Lions – 1974 South Africa tour

Forwards|

* Brown
* Burton
* Carmichael
* Cotton
* David
* Davies
* Kennedy
* McBride (c)
* McKinney
* McLauchlan
* Neary
* Ralston
* Ripley
* Slattery
* Uttley
* Windsor

Backs|

* Bennett
* Bergiers
* Edwards
* Evans
* Gibson
* Grace
* Irvine
* McGeechan
* Milliken
* Moloney
* Morley
* Old
* Rees
* Steele
* J. J. Williams
* J. P. R. Williams

Coach|

Millar

* v
* t
* e

British Lions – 1977 New Zealand tour

Forwards|

* Beaumont
* Brown
* Cotton
* Cobner
* Duggan
* T. Evans
* Faulkner
* Horton
* Keane
* Martin
* Neary
* Orr
* Price
* Quinnell
* Squire
* Wheeler
* C. Williams
* Windsor

Backs|

* Bennett (c)
* Bevan
* Burcher
* G. Evans
* Fenwick
* Gibson
* Hay
* Irvine
* Lewis
* McGeechan
* Morgan
* Rees
* B. Williams
* J. Williams

Coach|

Dawes

* v
* t
* e

British Lions – 1980 South Africa tour

Forwards|

* Beattie
* Beaumont (c)
* Blakeway
* Colclough
* Cotton
* Lane
* Martin
* O'Driscoll
* Orr
* Phillips
* Price
* Quinnell
* Squire
* Stephens
* Tomes
* Tucker
* Wheeler
* C. Williams
* G. Williams

Backs|

* Campbell
* Carleton
* Davies
* Dodge
* Gravell
* Hay
* Holmes
* Irvine
* Morgan
* O'Donnell
* Patterson
* Rees
* Renwick
* Richards
* Robbie
* Slemen
* Smith
* Ward
* Woodward

Coach|

Murphy

* v
* t
* e

England national rugby union team captains

To 1900|

* 1871–1873: Frederick Stokes
* 1874: Alfred Hamersley
* 1875: Henry Lawrence
* 1875–1876: Francis Luscombe
* 1877 – Mar 1878: Edward Kewley
* Mar 1878: Murray Marshall
* 1879: Frank Adams
* 1880–1881: Lennard Stokes
* Feb 1882: Charles Gurdon
* Mar 1882: Albert Hornby
* Dec 1882 – 1885: Edward Gurdon
* Jan–Feb 1886: Charles Marriott
* Mar 1886: Edward Gurdon
* 1887: Alan Rotherham
* 1889: Fred Bonsor
* Feb 1890: Andrew Stoddart
* Mar 1890: John Hickson
* Mar 1890: Andrew Stoddart
* 1891 – Jan 1892: Frederic Alderson
* Feb 1892: Sammy Woods
* Mar 1892: Frederic Alderson
* Jan 1893: Andrew Stoddart
* Feb 1893: Sammy Woods
* Mar 1893: Andrew Stoddart
* Jan–Feb 1894: Richard Lockwood
* Mar 1894: Ernest Taylor
* 1895: Sammy Woods
* 1896: Ernest Taylor
* Mar 1896: Frank Mitchell
* 1897: Ernest Taylor
* 1898: James Byrne
* 1899: Arthur Rotherham

To the First World War|

* Jan 1900: Richard Cattell
* 1900: John Daniell
* Jan 1901: Jack Taylor
* Feb–Mar 1901: William Bunting
* Jan 1902: Harry Alexander
* Feb–Mar 1902: John Daniell
* Jan–Feb 1903: Bernard Oughtred
* Mar 1903: Toggie Kendall
* Jan 1904: Frank Stout
* Feb–Mar 1904: John Daniell
* Jan–Mar 1905: Frank Stout
* Dec 1905 – Dec 1906: Vincent Cartwright
* Jan 1907: Basil Hill
* Feb 1907: John Green
* Mar 1907: Ernest Roberts
* Jan 1908: Thomas Kelly
* Jan 1908: John Birkett
* Feb 1908: Curly Hammond
* Mar 1908: Lancelot Slocock
* Jan 1909: George Lyon
* Jan–Mar 1909: Robert Dibble
* Jan–Feb 1910: Adrian Stoop
* Mar 1910: Edgar Mobbs
* Mar 1910 – Feb 1911: John Birkett
* Mar 1911: Anthony Henniker-Gotley
* Jan–Mar 1912: Robert Dibble
* Apr 1912 – Mar 1913: Norman Wodehouse
* 1914: Ronald Poulton

To the Second World War|

* 1920: John Greenwood
* 1921: Dave Davies
* Jan 1922: Bruno Brown
* Feb 1922 – 1923: Dave Davies
* 1924–1926: Wavell Wakefield
* 1927: Leonard Corbett
* 1928 – Feb 1929: Ronald Cove-Smith
* Mar 1929 – Feb 1930: Joe Periton
* Feb 1930 – Jan 1931: Sam Tucker
* Feb 1931: Peter Howard
* Mar 1931 – Jan 1933: Carl Aarvold
* Feb–Mar 1933: Tony Novis
* 1934: Bernard Gadney
* Jan–Feb 1935: Douglas Kendrew
* Mar 1935 – Mar 1936: Bernard Gadney
* 1937: Tuppy Owen-Smith
* Jan–Feb 1938: Peter Cranmer
* Mar 1938 – Mar 1939: Henry Toft

To the professional era|

* Jan–Feb 1947: Joe Mycock
* Mar–Apr 1947: Jack Heaton
* Jan 1948: Edward Scott
* Jan 1948: Tommy Kemp
* Feb–Mar 1948: Edward Scott
* Mar 1948: Bob Weighill
* Jan–Feb 1949: Nim Hall
* Feb 1949 – Mar 1950: Ivor Preece
* Jan 1951: Vic Roberts
* Feb–Mar 1951: John Kendall-Carpenter
* Jan 1952 – Mar 1953: Nim Hall
* 1954: Bob Stirling
* Jan–Feb 1955: Nim Hall
* Feb–Mar 1955: Peter Young
* Jan 1956 – Mar 1958: Eric Evans
* 1959: Jeffrey Butterfield
* 1960–1962: Dickie Jeeps
* Jan–Mar 1963: Richard Sharp
* May–Jun 1963: Mike Weston
* Jan–Feb 1964: John Willcox
* Feb–Mar 1964: Ron Jacobs
* 1965: David Perry
* 1966: Budge Rogers
* Jan 1967: Richard Sharp
* Feb–Nov 1967: Philip Judd
* Jan–Feb 1968: Colin McFadyean
* Feb–Mar 1968: Mike Weston
* Feb 1969: Dick Greenwood
* Feb–Apr 1969: Budge Rogers
* Dec 1969 – Mar 1970: Bob Hiller
* Apr 1970: Bob Taylor
* Jan 1971: Tony Bucknall
* Feb 1971: John Spencer
* Feb 1971: Bob Hiller
* Mar–Apr 1971: John Spencer
* Jan–Feb 1972: Bob Hiller
* Feb–Mar 1972: Peter Dixon
* Jun 1972 – Mar 1974: John Pullin
* Jan–Feb 1975: Fran Cotton
* Mar–May 1975: Tony Neary
* May 1975: John Pullin
* Jan–Mar 1976: Tony Neary
* 1977: Roger Uttley
* 1978: Bill Beaumont
* Feb 1979: Roger Uttley
* Feb 1979 – Jan 1982: Bill Beaumont
* Feb 1982 – Feb 1983: Steve Smith
* Mar 1983: John Scott
* Nov 1983 – Mar 1984: Peter Wheeler
* Jun 1984: John Scott
* Nov 1984: Nigel Melville
* 1985: Paul Dodge
* 1986: Nigel Melville
* Feb–Mar 1987: Richard Hill
* Apr 1987 – Feb 1988: Mike Harrison
* Mar 1988: Nigel Melville
* Apr–Jun 1988: John Orwin
* Jun 1988: Richard Harding
* Nov 1988 – Mar 1989: Will Carling
* May 1989: Rob Andrew
* Nov 1989 – May 1995: Will Carling
* May 1995: Rob Andrew
* Jun 1995: Will Carling

To the present day|

* Nov 1995 – Mar 1996: Will Carling
* Nov 1996: Phil de Glanville
* Dec 1996: Jason Leonard
* Feb–Jul 1997: Phil de Glanville
* Nov 1997 – Apr 1998: Lawrence Dallaglio
* Jun 1998: Tony Diprose
* Jun–Jul 1998: Matt Dawson
* Nov 1998: Martin Johnson
* Nov 1998 – Apr 1999: Lawrence Dallaglio
* Jun–Oct 1999: Martin Johnson
* Feb–Apr 2000: Matt Dawson
* Jun 2000 – Apr 2001: Martin Johnson
* Jun 2001: Kyran Bracken
* Oct 2001: Matt Dawson
* Nov 2001: Neil Back
* Nov 2001 – Mar 2002: Martin Johnson
* Mar–Apr 2002: Neil Back
* Jun 2002: Phil Vickery
* Nov 2002 – Feb 2003: Martin Johnson
* Mar 2003: Jonny Wilkinson
* Mar–Jun 2003: Martin Johnson
* Aug 2003: Jason Leonard
* Aug 2003: Dorian West
* Sep–Oct 2003: Martin Johnson
* Nov 2003: Phil Vickery
* Nov 2003: Martin Johnson
* Feb–Jun 2004: Lawrence Dallaglio
* Nov 2004 – Feb 2005: Jason Robinson
* Mar 2005 – Mar 2006: Martin Corry
* Jun 2006: Pat Sanderson
* Nov 2006: Martin Corry
* Feb 2007: Phil Vickery
* Mar 2007: Mike Catt
* May 2007: Jason Robinson
* Jun 2007: Jonny Wilkinson
* Aug 2007: Phil Vickery
* Aug 2007: Mike Catt
* Aug–Sep 2007: Phil Vickery
* Sep 2007: Martin Corry
* Oct 2007 – Feb 2008: Phil Vickery
* Feb 2008: Steve Borthwick
* Feb–Mar 2008: Phil Vickery
* Jun 2008 – Mar 2010: Steve Borthwick
* Mar–Nov 2010: Lewis Moody
* Nov 2010: Nick Easter
* Nov 2010: Lewis Moody
* Feb 2011: Mike Tindall
* Aug 2011: Lewis Moody
* Aug–Sep 2011: Mike Tindall
* Sep–Oct 2011: Lewis Moody
* Feb–Jun 2012: Chris Robshaw
* Jun 2012: Dylan Hartley
* Nov 2012 – Mar 2013: Chris Robshaw
* Jun 2013: Tom Wood
* Nov 2013 – Oct 2015: Chris Robshaw
* Feb 2016 – Mar 2018: Dylan Hartley
* Mar 2018: Owen Farrell
* Mar 2018: Dylan Hartley
* Jun–Nov 2018: Owen Farrell
* Nov 2018: George Ford
* Nov 2018 – Mar 2019: Owen Farrell
* Aug 2019: George Ford
* Aug–Sep 2019: Owen Farrell
* Sep 2019: George Ford
* Oct 2019 – Mar 2021: Owen Farrell
* Jul 2021: Lewis Ludlow
* Nov 2021: Courtney Lawes
* Nov 2021: Owen Farrell
* Nov 2021: Courtney Lawes
* Feb 2022: Tom Curry
* Feb–Jul 2022: Courtney Lawes
* Nov 2022 – Feb 2023: Owen Farrell
* Mar 2023: Ellis Genge
* Mar 2023: Owen Farrell
* Aug 2023: Ellis Genge
* Aug 2023: Owen Farrell
* Aug–Sep 2023: Courtney Lawes
* Sep–Oct 2023: Owen Farrell
* Feb–Nov 2024: Jamie George
* Feb–Mar 2025: Maro Itoje
* Jul 2025: George Ford

* v
* t
* e

England squad – 1973 International Seven-a-side Tournament

* F E Cotton (c)
* D J Duckham
* K J Fielding
* J D Gray
* P S Preece
* A G Ripley
* P A Rossborough
* S J Smith
* R M Uttley

Authority control databases

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