Julian White MBE is a former English rugby union player who played prop for Leicester Tigers and England. Regarded as one of the most powerful forwards in the game, Julian White MBE was renowned for his destructive scrummaging and for being an aggressive tighthead prop. A Rugby World Cup winner being a part of England’s heroics in 2003, White has also played for the British & Irish Lions and now works extensively around the country as a rugby speaker.
As a youngster Julian White played mini and junior rugby for Salcombe and had played in the same senior side as his father, a former Plymouth Albion player. He served his rugby union apprenticeship with Okehampton and Plymouth Albion and had a spell in New Zealand with Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury Crusaders. White made his debut for Hawke’s Bay in August 1996 and appeared in the NZ Provincial Championship. Julian made his only Super 12 appearance as a replacement for the Crusaders against Natal in Christchurch in April 1997. During his work as a rugby speaker, Julian White MBE discusses his move to New Zealand and how it both affected and influenced his rugby sharing teachings and learnings from the experience.
Returning to the UK when a Welsh coach who had worked with White at Hawke’s Bay told him that Bridgend desperately needed a tighthead prop, White played for Bridgend in 1998/9 before moving to Saracens in 1999. He swiftly made his Premiership debut in the 28–23 defeat of London Irish at Vicarage Road on the opening weekend of the season.
Having succeeded and performed at a high standard in domestic rugby, White made his England debut against South Africa on England’s Summer 2000 tour there. He appeared in his first Twickenham Test against Argentina in November 2001, playing until half time when he was replaced by Phil Vickery. He toured North America in the summer of 2001, forming a solid front row with Graham Rowntree and Dorian West. These wonderful experiences are reminisced upon and shared with guests during his work as a rugby speaker as White explains the pride and honour he felt representing his country while sharing hilarious and entertaining stories from this period both on and off the pitch.
At the start of the 2002 season he transferred back to the West Country with Bristol Shoguns. This occurred after a protracted affair where White had attempted to get out of the contract he had signed with Bristol. White did not endear himself to Bristol supporters as he had tried to break out of his contract to join bitter local rivals Bath. Along with team-mate Darryl Gibson, he joined Leicester Tigers for the 2003–04 season after Bristol were relegated. Replacing the retiring Darren Garforth, his Leicester debut was held over as he was in Australia on duty with England at the 2003 Rugby World Cup. During the World Cup, Julian White MBE was in the starting line-up against Samoa and came on as replacement against Uruguay. A member of the historic 2003 Rugby World Cup winning team, during his performances as a rugby speaker White often recollects this historic and life changing accomplishment. In 2004, White took the opportunity to demonstrate his scrummaging skills in the England front row during the Six Nations and the summer tour to the Southern Hemisphere. He was one of the players named in the 2005 British and Irish Lions squad to tour New Zealand, and started in all three tests.
Prior to the 2007 Rugby World Cup, White made himself unavailable for selection and did not feature in another England game. In January 2009, it was announced that he had been selected for the England Saxons squad. With the suspension of Matt Stevens it was announced in 2009 that he had been called up to the full England squad in 2009 as a replacement for Stevens. Retiring in 2012 having made 96 appearances for Leicester Tigers, the tighthead prop finally called time on a formidable career.
Following his retirement, Julian White MBE is an incredibly popular rugby speaker often appearing at club events and functions across the nation in particularly for his old clubs. A fierce competitor with a winning mindset, Julian White MBE is available to hire as a rugby speaker for any event, dinner or function across the UK.
