Phil de Glanville
A cerebral and dependable centre, he captained England through a pivotal era and anchored Bath's domestic dynasty.
Born 1968 (age 58)·England international rugby union player·Birthday: October 1·Generation X
Biography
Phil de Glanville brought a quiet authority to the rugby field, a product of his Durham University education and a sharp rugby intellect. At Bath, he was a cornerstone of one of English club rugby's most formidable sides, winning multiple league titles and domestic cups during their 1990s heyday. His game was built on defensive solidity, intelligent distribution, and an uncanny ability to straighten the attacking line. These qualities earned him 22 caps for England, and in 1996, he was entrusted with the captaincy, leading the national team on a tour of Argentina and through the early stages of a rebuilding period. Though his international career was concurrent with the emergence of Jeremy Guscott, de Glanville's leadership and consistency made him an essential figure, embodying the disciplined, team-first ethos that defined the era.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Phil was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Phil Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Phil's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Captained the England national rugby union team for eight Test matches in 1996 and 1997.
- Won five English league titles with Bath Rugby during their dominant period in the early 1990s.
- Earned 22 caps for England as a centre between 1995 and 1999.
- Lifted the Pilkington Cup (English domestic cup) with Bath in 1994, 1995, and 1996.
Did You Know?
He studied Anthropology at Durham University and played for the university team.
He is a qualified pilot and has flown light aircraft.
He succeeded Will Carling as England captain.
After rugby, he pursued a career in finance and is a director at a wealth management firm.
“The game is won in the spaces between the set pieces.”
