Richard Graham Reed Dawe (born 4 September 1959 in Tavistock) is a former English rugby union footballer and the former coach of Plymouth Albion.
He played for Bath Rugby, Sale Sharks, Plymouth Albion and Launceston RFC.
Dawe earned 5 caps for England, from 1987 to 1995. He made his debut in the Five Nations in 1987. He was selected for the Rugby World Cup finals in 1987, playing a single match, and again in 1995 when he played against Manu Samoa. That was his last England cap, earned at the age of 36, his international career being limited by the presence in the England team of Brian Moore.
He won 14 major trophies during 12 years at Bath before moving on to Sale and also represented the Barbarians, South West, Cornwall and Devon.
Dawe became player-coach of Plymouth Albion in 1999, making his debut for his hometown team on his 40th birthday. He is believed to be the first 50 year old to play professional rugby, turning out for Plymouth Albion in the Championship and British & Irish Cup. He guided Plymouth from the bottom of National League Three South to National League One (now known as the Championship).
On 21 November 2011 Graham was relived of his duties as Director of Rugby at Plymouth Albion due to lack of finance.
Famous quotes containing the word graham:
“The psychologist called him a psychopath. They didn’t know what else to call him.”
—Michael Mann, U.S. screenwriter. Michael Mann. Will Graham (William Petersen)