Neil Anthony Back was born in Coventry on 16 January 1969 and educated at Woodlands School in the city. He played for Barker's Butts and Nottingham before joining Leicester where he went on to become club captain in 2003/04. He gained 66 caps between 1994 and 2003 at flank forward for England and captained the side in four internationals. In three British Isles tours to South Africa (1997), Australia (2001) and New Zealand (2005) he made a total of 16 appearances, including four tests. Neil Back originally worked in insurance but after retiring as a player became a coach, first as an assistant at Leicester and then as director of rugby with Leeds Tykes. In 2011 he became coach of Rugby Lions.