The Profile
The rugby career behind the headlines.
Jeremy Guscott was a centre who played rugby like a specialist. His step, his gas, and his ability to pick the right moment to run the ball rather than pass it all made him one of the most watchable players of the 1990s. His drop goal for the Lions in the second Test against South Africa in 1997 is one of the most iconic moments in Lions history, the kind of match-winner that gets replayed every time a new Lions tour is on the horizon.
His club career at Bath coincided with the most dominant period in that club's history. He won multiple league titles, Cup finals, and European honours during a era when Bath were the best team in the world before professionalism changed the economics. He earned sixty five England caps across eleven years of Test rugby.
Post-playing, he moved into broadcasting and has been a BBC Rugby commentator and analyst for two decades. His television persona is drier than his playing persona, but the technical understanding of backline play comes through in every broadcast he does.
“I watched the video of the 1997 drop goal once, maybe twice. I do not need to watch it again. I was there and I remember everything about it.”
Career highlights
- British and Irish Lions tourist, 1989, 1993, 1997
- Lions second Test drop goal, South Africa 1997
- 65 England caps, 30 tries
- Bath first team 1984 to 2003
- BBC Rugby commentator, 2000 onwards
- MBE for services to rugby
First hand
Jeremy Guscott at Steam
Jeremy spoke at Steam in January 2026 alongside Jason Leonard. The 1997 Lions drop goal story has improved every time he tells it.