Whilst serving on the Cardiff committee, he became a member of the Welsh Rugby Union. 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. Under Rowlands guidance, its headquarters moved from Bristol to Dublin, Ireland. This was key in turning the Rugby World Cup into one of the leading sporting events in the world, which Rowlands was at the heart of as one of its directors.