Gareth James Chilcott (Welsh father) was born 20th November 1956 at Bristol and attended Ashton Park School.

His potential was recognized at an early age with selection for Somerset and South and South West Schools. He graduated to the successful Bristol Combination side – Old Redcliffians and later - eastwards to Bath.

He became a dominant figure in the Bath pack, with the ability to play left or right prop. An early highlight in his career was selection for the South and South West Division which drew 12-12 with the Australian tourist at Exeter in 1984. His performance earned him the first of his 14 England caps against Australia that season.

His 1st XV debut was on 28th September 1977, with a farewell game on 4th December 1993 after 373 1st XV appearances, 16 tries and one memorable conversion – 66 points.

He was a British Lion’s Tourist to Australia 1989 in company with Andy Robinson and Jeremy Guscott.

His first senior game was against a star-studded invitation side:-

28/9/1977 v Leonard Cheshire's International XV, Home, Lost 18-24.

Bath Team:- J S Waterman, J Davies, M C Beese, A Smith, G Townsend, J Horton, H Cleaton, J M Meddick, A Mason, G Chilcott, B J Jenkins, D Barry, A Cole, G Pillinger, R Lye.
It was a wonderfully entertaining encounter, as the celebrity side spun the ball about in dazzling fashion.. Debutant Chilcott stuck to his task against an All England front row of Burton (Gloucester), Wheeler (Leicester) and Powell (Northampton).
Bath tries by Davies, Beese, Smith and Murphy, with Horton converting one.

Chilcott’s last game.

4/12/1993 v Harlequins, Away. Won 14-12. Team:- Lumsden, Stuart, Catt (penalty), de Glanville, Lloyd, Barnes (2 penalties), Hill, Chilcott, Dawe, Mallett, Haag, Redman, Robinson, Hall, Clarke.

A close result in a scrappy game. Andy Robinson scored the only try following a wheel engineered by Bath’s dominant pack. It was very satisfying for Chilcott and his front row partners, who pressured their opposite numbers throughout.

At age 37 ‘Coochie’ Chilcott, satisfied with his afternoon’s work and 16 seasons with the Bath Club was ready and happy to hang up his boots.

Towards the end of amateur days, he continued in service to Bath rugby as Chairman of Fund-Raising. This popular ‘larger-than-life’ character demonstrated the same drive and enthusiasm in his off the field activities.

He moved on to work with a rugby orientated travel firm, run a chauffeured luxury taxi service, write two books, appear in Pantomime, narrate a rugby video, feature as a TV sports pundit, appear in other television shows, write regular rugby articles, speak at rugby dinners, take part in charity events, save a life on a rafting expedition and develop highly successful corporate hospitality facilities.

Not bad for a former french polisher and part time ‘tree-feller!’

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