Chris Cracknell

Chris Cracknell is an Olympic gold medal-winning coach and former international rugby player, renowned for his transition from athlete to a leader in elite performance and business. After achieving significant success as an international rugby player, Chris Cracknell transitioned into an Olympic gold medal-winning coach and leader in elite performance. Early in his professional rugby career, with Cornish Pirates, Cracknell secured the EDF Cup in 2007, triumphing over Exeter at Twickenham. Concurrently, he made a mark in Sevens rugby with England, contributing to key victories against New Zealand in both Wellington and London in 2007.

Following his retirement, Cracknell transitioned into coaching, joining the Fiji 7’s team as Assistant Coach from 2014 to 2015. During his tenure as Assistant Coach, the Fiji 7’s team achieved an historic Olympic Gold Medal at the Rio Games in 2016. In recognition of his significant contributions, he was awarded the Officer of the Order of Fiji in 2016. Building on this momentum, Cracknell then assumed the role of Head Coach for the Fijiana women’s team from 2015 to 2021.

Under his leadership, the Fijiana squad secured an Olympic bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games, and his diverse coaching philosophy has been shaped by cultural experiences across the UK, China, Fiji, and the USA. Expanding his coaching influence across different national teams, Cracknell took on the role of coach for the Belgium national rugby union team in 2022. Beyond his celebrated career in professional sports, he adeptly applies his extensive leadership and elite performance insights within the business world, including managing a family hairdressing business. His career trajectory showcases a profound commitment to developing human potential, leveraging invaluable lessons learned from high-performance environments to foster robust leadership, effective pressure management, and cohesive teamwork in various professional and commercial settings.