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Tony Underwood

b. 1969

English rugby union player

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About Tony Underwood

Born 1969. Tony Underwood is a British and Malaysian rugby union player, aircraft pilot and airline pilot.

Tony Underwood (born 17 February 1969 in Ipoh, Malaysia) is a former English rugby union footballer who played as a wing three-quarter back. He is of Malaysian-English parentage.

Rugby career Underwood's rugby talent was first nurtured at Barnard Castle School. Upon leaving he was educated at Leicester University and St Edmund's College, Cambridge, where he studied from 1990 to 1992 and won a blue whilst a member of Cambridge University R.U.F.C.

Following his elder brother Rory, he played for Leicester Tigers and England. Tony had another brother called Gary, who played at under-21 level for England. He made his England debut in October 1992 against Canada, and went on to win a total of 27 English caps. Tony and Rory were the first brothers to play for England together since Harold and Arthur Wheatley in England's 1937 6–3 win over Scotland, and partnered in the 1995 Five Nations Grand Slam win.

He played in the Rugby World Cup in 1995, and in the Quarter final match against Australia he scored a try that many regard as one of the finest in running Rugby, with his right-wing counterpart Damien Smith failing to tackle him, and that helped England to reach the Semi-finals. In the Semi-final he had another memorable moment in which his opposite number, Jonah Lomu, ran a ring around him, before powering straight over the tackle of full back Mike Catt to score what would be one of his four tries in that game. His last cap for England came in December 1998 against South Africa where he was replaced early; England went on to win. He would later feature in a Pizza Hut advertising campaign alongside Lomu. He is married, with two children.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
University of Leicester, Barnard Castle School, Hughes Hall

People in Tony Underwood's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Tony Underwood's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Tony Underwood?

English rugby union player

When was Tony Underwood born?

Tony Underwood was born on 17 February 1969 in Ipoh.

What is Tony Underwood's occupation?

Tony Underwood is a rugby union player, aircraft pilot and airline pilot.

What nationality is Tony Underwood?

Tony Underwood is British and Malaysian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Tony Underwood

· Wikidata: Q3531920

· DBpedia: Tony Underwood

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Tony Underwood. https://biography.guide/tony-underwood/

MLA: "Tony Underwood." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/tony-underwood/.

Chicago: "Tony Underwood." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/tony-underwood/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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