He began his rugby career aged 15 playing for Weston-super-Mare RFC. He made his England debut in November 1984 vs the Australia national rugby union team at Twickenham, losing 19-3. He made his final international appearance in July 1997 vs Australia in Sydney, losing 25-6. In total he won 20 caps and played in the front, second and back rows. He played in the 1987 and 1991 Rugby World Cups and was called up to the 1997 British and Irish Lions 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa. He made 350 appearances in club rugby for Bath between 1984 and 1999. He started for Bath in the victorious 1998 Heineken Cup Final as they defeated Brive.