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Date of birth | 6 August 1984 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Windsor, Berkshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 17 st 0 lb (108 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Claires Court, Crosfields School, Shiplake College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Chris Cracknell OF (born 6 August 1984 in Windsor, England) is a former England rugby union player. He coached the Fijiana team after being brought in by Ben Ryan in 2014. [1] Cracknell attended Ridgeway (Junior School to Claires Court), Crosfields School and Shiplake College. The latter now hosts a 7s tournament in which schools compete for the 'Cracknell Cup' named in honour of the alumnus. [2]
A flanker, Cracknell has previously played for the Cornish Pirates, Exeter Chiefs, Bath and Worcester Warriors.
In May 2010 Cracknell became subject of a WRFC and RFU investigation, when he became involved in an altercation with fellow Worcester player James Collins's father following the team's relegation decider match with Leeds. He was later fined and banned. [3]
In 2015, Fiji Rugby Union confirmed that he has been chosen to be the assistant coach for the Fiji 7's team alongside Ben Ryan, who became the Fiji coach in 2013. In 2015, he was promoted as the head coach for the Fijiana team.
In 2022, Cracknell was named as the Belgium national team's coach, taking over from Frédéric Cocqu. [4]
After the 2016 Summer Olympics, Cracknell was awarded the Officer of the Order of Fiji. [5]
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Shiplake College is a private boarding and day school in Shiplake, by the River Thames, just outside Henley-on-Thames, England. The school, with 540 pupils, takes girls and boys from 11–18. Originally boys-only, a co-educational Sixth Form was formed in 1998 and in 2023 girls started joining in Year 7 as the school goes fully co-educational.
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