Leading from the Front Row: How Rugby Fueled Robert Anderson’s Career
For many, rugby is just a sport. For Robert Anderson, it was a lifeline, a leadership boot camp, and the unexpected gateway to his career in project delivery.
Robert’s love for the game began early. It began on a family holiday in Turkey, of all places. A chance encounter with former England scrum-half Andy Gomarsall sparked the dream. From then on, he threw himself into the game, inspired by legends like Jason Leonard and Micky Skinner. His first club was home to an exceptional crop of players, and they enjoyed great success together in those early years.
His talent eventually earned him a place at the Saracens Academy, but his dream hit a wall. A combination of injuries and what he calls “a distinct lack of height” held him back, and he admits to walking away too soon after narrowly missing out on the elite squad. “I was disappointed,” he says. “And if I’m honest, I probably let pride get in the way.”
But rugby wasn’t finished with Robert yet.
Rediscovering Rugby, and a New Role
In his final year of sixth form, Robert found his way back to the game thanks to coach Heinrich Zimmerman, who reignited his passion and belief. Under Zimmerman’s guidance, the school team reached the Daily Mail Vase Final at Twickenham – a crowning moment that reignited Robert’s connection to the sport and planted the seeds of a coaching career.
He soon stepped into a leadership role, coaching both youth and senior teams. Eventually, he returned to his boyhood club as head coach, leading with a focus on team-building, emotional intelligence, and creating inclusive environments where every player felt seen and supported.
Coaching as a Masterclass in Leadership
Robert quickly realised that coaching wasn’t just about tactics and training drills, it was about people. He’d often found himself in captaincy roles growing up, but it was coaching that gave him real insight into what makes teams tick.
“Leadership isn’t just about giving rousing speeches or having the loudest voice,” he says. “It’s about understanding personalities, managing emotions, and creating the right conditions for people to thrive.”
Rugby gave him a crash course in emotional intelligence. He learned how to motivate individuals, rebuild confidence after setbacks, and adapt his approach to suit different learning styles. It was these lessons that proved invaluable when Robert transitioned into project delivery, where the pressure is high, deadlines are tight, and the human factor matters just as much as the bottom line.
From Match Day to Milestones
Today, Robert draws a clear line between his time on the rugby field and his role in high-pressure project environments.
“As a coach, you simulate game-day pressure so your team can learn to adapt. That’s exactly what I do now in project delivery -scenario planning, risk management, morale building,” he explains.
The same principles apply: clear vision, defined roles, trust, and resilience. Whether you’re facing a blitzing back row or a project derailing in real time, composure is everything.
A Different Kind of Challenge
Robert’s personal journey hasn’t been without its hurdles. Diagnosed with dyslexia as a teenager, school was often a battleground.
“Teachers assumed I was lazy,” he says. “I was taken out of swimming classes to do extra literacy. Not because I didn’t need support, but because everything about it was stressful.”
Support was limited. He was labelled with “severe learning difficulties” and left to navigate much of the education system alone. But a turning point came during his GCSE years, thanks to a compassionate English teacher named Miss Allison. Her patience and practical methods helped him build a toolkit for learning.
Later, university introduced him to assistive tech -text-to-speech tools, voice dictation, and mind maps that finally aligned with the way his brain worked.
“Suddenly, I could process information in a way that made sense to me,” he says. “It wasn’t that I couldn’t do it. I just needed a different route.”
Championing Inclusion in Rugby and Beyond
When Robert began coaching an under-11s side, he started with a handful of kids deemed “not good enough” at their schools. That small team grew into a thriving squad of over 40 players -proof that inclusivity and encouragement can change everything.
“It reinforced what I already knew,” he says. “People thrive when you focus on what they can do, not what they can’t.”
That ethos now runs through everything Robert does, from grassroots rugby to professional project teams.
Project Leadership: The Next Phase
Robert went on to work as a Programme Manager on the Olympic Legacy Programme. Tasked with reviving a demoralised team, he embraced servant leadership, giving people more ownership in exchange for commitment. It worked.
Now, he’s the creator of The Leadership Launchpad – a training platform designed for aspiring leaders who don’t fit the conventional mould. His courses combine practical project delivery tools with emotional intelligence and real-world lived experience.
“Many projects veer off track, and with so much economic uncertainty at present, businesses have to be ready to adapt and deliver change,” says Robert.
“Getting a project over the line takes more than just ticking off tasks. It’s about stepping up, making confident decisions, and guiding your team through whatever comes your way. The reality is, loads of people are already doing that, just without the right tools or support.”
Project Leadership Launchpad is designed for directors, team leads, those moving into delivery roles, or anyone thinking about a career in project management. It’s built around real-life learning that fits into people’s day-to-day, not the other way around. No heavy theory – just practical skills, confidence-building, and a structure that works for them.
“A lot of people are leading already – they just don’t realise it,” he adds. “Sometimes, they just need someone to show them they’ve earned their seat at the table.”
Final Whistle?
Not likely. For Robert, the lessons from rugby still shape every decision, every project, every day.
“Rugby taught me that setbacks aren’t the end of the game,” he says. “They’re just the next phase of play.”
About Rob Anderson
Rob Anderson is a leadership coach and founder of Leadership Launchpad, a UK-based leadership development programme endorsed by the Institute of Leadership and CPD-accredited. Rob works with aspiring and emerging leaders across industries, helping them transition into confident, competent project leaders through a flexible, real-world curriculum. He has over 15 years of experience in project and people leadership, with PRINCE2 and Level 7 Institute of Leadership qualifications. For more on Robert Anderson’s leadership work and online courses, visit:
