Chris Alcock has played for, captained and was the Selector for Navy Rugby as well as experiencing success as the captain of Cornwall including their famous county championship win of 1991. He was made a Life Member of the Royal Navy Rugby Union when he retired from the season in 2016 and his name was given to the RNRU’s Chris Alcock Award, which is awarded for Outstanding Contribution to Royal Navy Rugby.
After leaving school in Stafford, Chris Alcock joined the Fleet Air Arm as an observer based at RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall. Since then his rugby career was a potent mix of success with ‘the Men of Cornwall’ and the Senior Service. As a Naval Aviator his career saw him rise to the position of Cdr Air on board HMS Ark Royal during the second Gulf War from which he was promoted to Captain.
His Service rugby career saw him make his Senior debut in 1982 for Navy Rugby and he played, Naval commitments allowing, for the next eleven seasons. He also became a regular for the Combined Services where over a ten year period he won a number of caps, was selected as Combined Services captain for four seasons and played against a number of incoming International touring sides including the USSR and the Australians on three occasions.
In parallel to his Service rugby career he was a long serving player for the famous Camborne club and represented Cornwall in two County Championship finals. The second final, saw Chris lift the Championship Cup as captain, and end 83 year drought for the rugby followers of Trelawny.
On retiring from playing he had a successful period as Navy Selector and also became the Union’s first Director of Rugby before becoming the Royal Navy Rugby Union’s Chairman in 2011.