| Date of birth | 21 April 2003 [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Harrogate, England [2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 190 cm (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 105 kg (231 lb; 16 st 7 lb) [3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Barnard Castle School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Durham University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Max Pepper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Guy Pepper (born 21 April 2003) is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Premiership Rugby club Bath. [4]
From Eggleston, in Teesdale, Pepper attended Barnard Castle School. He had to give up playing rugby for a time as a youngster due to developing arthritis. [5]
Pepper gained a degree in Sport and Exercise Science at Durham University, partly completed remotely whilst playing professional rugby for Bath. [6] [7]
Pepper trained with the academy at Newcastle Falcons during the COVID-19 pandemic when matches were limited. [8] In May 2021 Pepper signed his first professional contract with the Newcastle Falcons. [9] He continued to train with Newcastle whilst completing a degree at Durham University. [10]
Pepper scored three tries in his first seven appearances for Newcastle prior to signing a new two-year contract with the club in April 2023. [11] In May 2024, he was nominated for Premiership Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Season. [12]
In April 2024, Pepper agreed to join Bath Rugby from the 2024-25 season, on a three-year contract. [13] He made a try-scoring league debut for Bath on 29 September 2024, in their opening Premiership Rugby fixture of the season, an away win at Leicester Tigers. [14] In June 2025, he scored an individual try from the Leicester 22-metre line that was eventually chalked off before winning Man of the Match in a 23–21 victory over Leicester Tigers in the 2024–25 Premiership Rugby final. [15]
Pepper has represented England at U18 level. [16] In January 2023 he was named in the England U20 squad for the first time. [17] In February 2024 he started for the England A team in a victory over Portugal. [18]
On 10 March 2024, Pepper was called up to train with the senior England squad by coach Steve Borthwick for the conclusion of their 2024 Six Nations campaign. [19]
In May 2025 Pepper was called up to a training camp for the senior England squad. [20] In June 2025, he played for an England XV side in a non-cap friendly against a France XV, which they lost 24-26 at Twickenham Stadium. [21] [22] He won his first cap for England from the bench in a 12-35 victory over Argentina during the 2025 Summer Test Series. [23] In the following match, he assisted Jack van Poortvliet for the deciding try also against Argentina in 22–17 victory to claim 2–0 series win. [24]
Guy's father, Martin Pepper, played as a back row forward for Harlequins and represented England B. He is the Director of Sport and Second Master at Barnard Castle School where he coached in Guy's later years as a pupil at the school. Guy’s brother Max Pepper plays for Newcastle, but is moving to Bristol Bears in 2026. Max has played sevens for Great Britain. [25]