Martin Alun Whitcombe (born 14 September 1961 in Keighley, West Riding of Yorkshire) is an English former rugby union footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 2000s. He learnt to play rugby at Keighley RUFC and had a long playing career for Leicester Tigers, Bedford RFC, Sale FC, and Leeds Tykes, at prop i.e. 1 or 3. At a representative level he played for Yorkshire, The Northern Division, and England at 19 Group, Under 23 and England 'B'. Early life Martin Whitcombe was one of four children growing up in the family-run business, the Airedale Heifer Inn, a public house in Sandbeds, Keighley, which was run by his rugby-playing father Frank Whitcombe Jr. He attended Crossflatts Primary School and Bingley Grammar School, where he was capped, four times by England Schools 19 Group in the 1980 Five Nations Tournament. After leaving school Whitcombe joined the Royal Air Force as a physical training instructor. This three-part course included PTI training at RAF Cosford, the Basic Parachute Course at No. 1 Parachute Training School and Adventurous training at Llanrwst in North Wales. After passing out with the rank of corporal, Whitcombe was posted to RAF North Luffenham in Edith Weston and living in the market town of Uppingham. This enabled Martin to accept an earlier invitation to join Leicester Tigers. Royal Air Force and Combined Services Rugby While in the RAF Whitcombe won the first of his fourteen caps as an Aircraftman while still under training at RAF Cosford, against the Royal Navy on 28 February 1981 in the Inter Services Tournament at Twickenham & his second cap a week later against the Army. In July 1981 Whitcombe visited the United States with the RAF rugby team, staying at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Texas the Royal Air Force team won the Austin Rugby Tournament defeating Houston in the final. Here Whitcombe played in the front five with two outstanding Royal Air Force forwards Peter Larter & John Orwin. During his seven years of service, Whitcombe was part of the Royal Air Force team which went on to enjoy a golden era in the 1980s winning a hat-trick of Inter Service titles: in 1982 (for only the fourth time since 1945), then in 1985, and 1986. (The 1984 title was a triple tie.) He represented the Combined Services rugby team twelve times, including three games against