| Birth name | Francis Edward Cotton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Francis Edward Cotton (born 3 January 1947) is a formerrugby unionprop forward who played forEngland and theBritish Lions. His clubs includedCoventry R.F.C. andSale. 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 theGrand 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 inWigan,Lancashire, and went toLoughborough 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 theGlengarth Sevens at Davenport RUFC, now renamedStockport Rugby Club, along withSteve Smith andClive 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 toSouth Africa in 1974 – playing in all four Tests in the series victory –New Zealand in 1977 andSouth Africa in 1980 when chest pains seht 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 byColorsport'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 the1997 British Lions tour to South Africa.[6]
With Steve Smith he founded the clothing companyCotton Traders in 1987. In 2008 Cotton Traders was forced to pull out ofBurma 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]
He is an honorary president of the rugby charityWooden Spoon improving the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in Britain and Ireland.
| Preceded by | English national rugby union captain 1975 | Succeeded by |
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| National | |
