Dodge started playing for his local club, Syston RFC, from where he progressed to join Tigers as a youth player and as a 17-year-old, made his first team debut in the annual Christmas fixture against the Barbarians. His debut came two years later. With Clive Woodward he formed a centre partnership that played for Tigers, England and the British Lions tour to South Africa in 1980. In 1985 he captained England eight times and captained Tigers in the 1987/88 season. After retiring he became Leicester backs coach between 1993 and 1996 before becoming an academy coach in 1998.