Rugby World Cup Winner, Dual-Code Legend, First Black British Captain of the England Team & Record 8x League
Jason Robinson’s Biography:
Jason Robinson OBE is widely regarded as one of the most influential and successful figures in modern British rugby, having achieved legendary status in both Rugby League and Rugby Union. Nicknamed “Billy Whizz,” he is renowned for his signature sidestep, blistering speed, and ability to defeat defenders. He made history as the First Black British man to Captain the England Rugby Team and famously scored England’s only try in the winning 2003 Rugby World Cup Final. His career achievements in sport led to his appointment as both a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Robinson began his career in Rugby League with Wigan, where he was a pivotal player across 281 games, scoring 171 tries. During this illustrious period, he helped secure a Super League title, three Challenge Cup titles, three Regal Trophy wins, four Championships, and four Premiership titles. His seamless transition to Rugby Union saw him play 159 games for Sale Sharks, scoring 248 points, during which he captained the club and led them to victory in the 2005 Guinness Premiership final and the European Challenge Cup. He earned 51 caps for England, scoring 28 tries, played in three World Cups, and was capped five times for the British & Irish Lions.
Beyond his sporting success, Jason’s journey is a powerful story of resilience. He grew up in an abusive family in a poor area of Leeds, left school with no qualifications, and was the first in his family to secure a job at 16. Despite achieving worldwide fame and six-figure contracts, he reached a severe low point, battling depression, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm, which he candidly discusses in his autobiography, Finding My Feet.
Today, he leverages his platform as the Founder of JR Talks and JR Sports Stars to inspire people from underprivileged communities, advocating strongly for mental health, social mobility, and diversity and inclusion. He is recognised as one of the world’s best social mobility speakers, translating the lessons of high-performance teams and inclusive leadership from the pitch to the corporate world, making him an impactful and sought-after speaker.
Why Hire Jason Robinson?
Jason Robinson OBE is the ultimate speaker on resilience, elite performance, and inclusive leadership. As a World Cup winner, the first Black British England Rugby Captain, and a dual-code legend, he provides powerful, firsthand insight into High-Performance Teams and Decision-Making Under Pressure. More profoundly, Jason connects his sporting success with his personal journey of overcoming poverty, abuse, and mental health struggles. He delivers a moving, honest, and actionable keynote on Social Mobility, Inclusive Leadership, and Mental Resilience, making him a truly inspirational choice for any corporate or educational event.
Jason Robinson’s Career Highlights:
Below showcases Jason Robinson’s inspirational career in rugby:
- 2025 – Appointed Global Ambassador for the Rugby Football League’s Diversity and Inclusion Programme.
- 2021 – Appointed Non-Executive Director of Sale Sharks Rugby Club.
- 2018 – Founded JR Sports Stars, focused on inspiring underprivileged youth.
- Undated – Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to rugby.
- 2004 – Captained the England National Team.
- 2003 – Won the Rugby World Cup with England, scoring the team’s only try in the final.
- 2001 – Captained Sale Sharks to win the European Challenge Cup (Union).
- 1999 – Named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to rugby.
- 1990s – Instrumental in Wigan’s success, winning a Super League title, multiple Challenge Cups, and Premierships.
- 1990 – Began his professional career playing for Wigan (Rugby League).
Videos
Jason Robinson’s Official Keynote Speaking Videos & Showreel:
Testimonials
“The event was amazing, and Jason was great. It was very well received by our audience. Some general comments and feedback we received included: “Really open and honest”, “Inspiring talk”, “Really engaging” and “What I found most impressive was his modesty, which is a quality that has become much underrated”…” – Latham & Watkins
“It was such a good evening, Jason was amazing and we have had some really good feedback form people who attended. Jason arrived early so we were able to get to know him a little more ahead of the event and he kindly posed for photos with us” – Lesley, Senior Information Systems Business Partner, Howden
“The event was really great, it has been our most engaged with D&I event so far. We had 100 colleagues in person and over 440 online. Jason’ talk went down extremely well and seemed to really resonate with our colleagues here. I’ve had colleagues go out of their way to come up to the team and thank us for putting it on. I’d like to thank him again for such an open and honest talk about mental health, and how that intersects with many different aspects of his life.” – Neil, Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Clyde & Co LLP
“I’m getting in touch as I was lucky enough to watch and listen to Jason’s inspiring and motivational presentation at the South London Careers Hub celebration event in Twickenham yesterday.” – John, Director, Resourceful Careers
“Thank you so much Jason for such a moving and inspiring session. The feedback has been outstanding. It was very well received by everyone who attended from Dentons” – Nick, Partner, Dentons
“Jason was fantastic, his story and speech was so captivating, and it really had everyone so engaged and inspired. We had really good feedback from the guests and the client. He stuck around and sat with some teams when they was doing their breakout sessions which I thought was great of him to do” – Paighton, Make Events
“Jason Robinson OBE, the first black man to captain the England team and 2003 England Rugby World Cup winner, gave a powerful speech on his experiences as a black male and the importance of diversity and inclusion in all areas of life. He touched on the topic of social mobility, and the fact that everyone should have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background. Jason himself is a great example of someone who has achieved success through hard work and determination, despite facing significant challenges along the way. I was particularly moved by the stories he told of his upbringing, and inspired by how he uses his own experience to empower others. Overall, the evening was inspiring, informative, and thought-provoking. I feel incredibly grateful to have been a part of such an important conversation.” – Imogen, Senior Marketing Associate at Fujitsu UK | Co-Chair, Ability Matters
“Just a quick not on behalf of the Dentons partners for your great session on Tuesday. The feedback has been very very good. The heartfelt and personal messages you conveyed brought a very important subject to life in such a powerful way.” – Martin, TMT Partner, Head of Commercial Division & Global Board Member, Dentons
“Thanks to Jason for his keynote speech yesterday! He was amazing, such an inspirational speaker, who took the whole audience on a journey. He really set the tone and intention for our event and drove home the message about how we can all support young people to be their best!” – Rachel, Strategic Lead, South London Partnership Careers Hub
“Just wanted to drop a line to say thank you very much for helping to arrange everything with Jason yesterday. He was an absolute pro and a brilliant guest on the show. With the episode being the first of the format/series, we appreciate it might have been a punt in the dark for both you and Jason to do this so wanted to extend our appreciation for that.” – Gambling Zone Podcast
“Yesterdays event went really well. Please convey our thanks to Jason for being willing to step in on such short notice, delivering a powerful keynote message and finally just being an incredibly nice guy!” – Bank ABC
“8-year-old me would be absolute awe right now! I remember watching the game like it was yesterday and that whole tournament is what made me love rugby and attend Twickenham as often as I can.” – Experian
“Fantastic session, thanks for organising. My KPI’s are going to be through the roof this afternoon after listening to that.” – Experian
“Amazing session. Absolute legend of the sport and very insightful to hear his personal story. Thanks all involved. Thanks, Jason, for your honest and open discussion.” – Experian
“I thought Jason Robinson was truly inspirational last night—what a great character! Looking forward to catching up very soon.” – Harry, Commercial Director, MTS Logistics Limited
“Jason was fantastic! His journey truly demonstrated the power of ‘breaking barriers,’ overcoming societal expectations, and pushing past limits. Jason resonated with our audience from different generations, especially younger attendees who really looked up to him. He kept everyone very engaged!”– Ajay, Gambit Partners
“The event with Jason was amazing! It has been one of our best-attended events with over 150 in-house and online. The feedback has been incredible after the event; I don’t think anyone left the session not being impacted.” – Nicole, Mizuho
“Just a quick note to say how fantastic Jason was at our event. He was a brilliant speaker – really engaging and able to capture the audience’s full attention from the start. His story was incredibly inspirational and resonated with so many people in the room. He was also an absolute pleasure to work with. Before the talk, he kindly signed autographs, and afterward he stayed on to chat and take photos. It meant a lot to the guests, and you could see how much it lifted the room. His presence made a lot of people genuinely happy. Please pass on our deepest thanks to him. We truly appreciated having him with us.” – Jana, Cotality
“Just a note to say that we loved meeting Jason today. He is such a down-to-earth guy, and he was really generous with his time at the end talking to everyone who wanted to! His talk was really good- and very relevant to the topic of the day.” – Kate, EY
“Jason went down an absolute storm, and his talk was so inspiring. We got so many amazing comments for him in the chat that I wanted to share them all, but I can’t copy them across (there are about 100!):
‘WOW – so inspirational. Thank you so much for sharing your story. Too many people don’t feel they can speak up about their mental health, concerns, or mental load. Consistently raising awareness pushes this forward and helps people get the support and focus they really need. No one ever needs to feel they are on their own.’
‘Thank you, Jason! I spent hours and hours after school side-stepping between cones pretending to be you. I’m sure that was replicated across the country and the world by millions. I hope you recognise how many people you have inspired!’
‘I’m Scottish and have no interest in rugby (sorry), but that didn’t stop me attending – and I’m glad I did. Eye-opening and inspirational.’
‘So inspiring, thank you. I’m going to buy your autobiography to give to my son-in-law, who is also a rugby player. Thank you so much for sharing your life story with us.’
‘So inspirational, thank you for sharing. I don’t think it’s about resilience; we use this word so much and people think they have to be resilient. You have shown strength, empathy, and motivation, and continually develop and look after yourself – and in doing so have looked after others. I know nothing about rugby, but it’s clear you know a lot about people. You put being the best kind of person, and the best version of yourself, first. We need you in schools.’
‘Coming from a Romanian background with four big brothers and a dad who never “believed” in mental illness, it’s so inspiring to see people like Jason be open and honest about what they’ve been through, no matter their background.’
‘Massive respect for opening up about your mental health and self-harm. It’s really influential when prominent men, especially those in “typically” masculine roles, do so. Opening up really can open people’s eyes to what they themselves may experience yet struggle to articulate or name. It also shows that mental health conditions show no discrimination in who they can impact – and the more we open up, the more others may do so around us.’
‘I used to watch you at Central Park for many years – inspirational rugby player! And thank you for being an ambassador for Joining Jack (AJ’s cousin).’” – Nicky, Employee Wellbeing Manager, AXA UK
Speaking Topics
Jason Robinson’s Official Keynote Topics:
- Social Mobility & Inclusion
- Mental Health & Resilience
- High Performance Teams
- Inclusive Leadership
How Much Does Jason Robinson Cost to Hire?
How Much Does it Cost to Hire Jason Robinson?
The cost of hiring Jason Robinson varies based on event format, location and session length. For a tailored quote, please contact a London Keynote Speakers Agency booking agent for expert guidance.