[1] Rowlands was born in Brithdir, Bridgend, the son of a Glamorgan Constabulary Police Inspector.

Rowlands represented the British and Irish Lions on 19 occasions, including all three tests in the 1962 Tour of South Africa, where he scored a try in the final international.

Rowlands was appointed as one of the WRU's two representatives on the International Rugby Board in 1983 and became the IRB's first general secretary in 1988.

In 2004 Rowlands beat WRU Secretary David East in the contest to succeed Sir Tasker Watkins as Welsh Rugby Union president.

As he played his rugby in amateur days, Rowlands worked in sales and marketing for Arthur Guinness Ltd and the Taunton Cider before becoming a full-time professional at the IRB.

Rowlands collapsed at his home in Cardiff and died at lunchtime on 18 November 2006, less than 24 hours after watching Wales beat Canada 61–26 at the Millennium Stadium.