He was in the team that beat Moseley in the 1st National Knock Out Cup Final in
1972. Working as a Farm Manager on an estate near Leicester,
Robin joined the Tigers in 1974 and from there won the first of his 14 England
caps playing against Scotland in 1977, propping against Sandy Carmichael. He played
for the Barbarians, and also for the Leicester KO Cup winning teams of 1979/80/81. In
1987, the Cowling family moved to Cornwall, Robin took over a farm at Cury, near
Helston, growing vegetables & flowers and rearing sheep, diversifying in recent
years with the addition of a small campsite. Camborne's
Frank Butler, nowadays Bath's Rugby Academy Manager, was the first to invite Robin
to lend coaching assistance, working also with 'Chalkie' White. He helped Cornwall
U21s, Hayle, Camborne, and then had a seven year spell working with Exeter Chiefs. Since
2001-02, Robin has been the Rugby Academy Manager for SWERA, which is based at
Truro College. This is a role that has deservedly provided quite considerable
fulfillment, with modest pride felt when he has seen young players develop and
make their mark in the game. Married to Wendy, Robin and
his wife have two sons - Anthony, who is a farmer in Canada, and Jeffery, a butcher
in London who is also a keen Triathlon competitor. He also has three grandsons | 
