Lawrence Dallaglio
Encyclopedia
Lorenzo Bruno Nero "Lawrence" Dallaglio, OBE
(born August 10, 1972, in London
) is a retired English
rugby union
player and former captain of the English national team. He played as a flanker
or number eight for London Wasps
and never played for another club, having arrived at Sudbury as a teenager. He was capped
in all three positions in the back row, and captained England until a newspaper scandal forced his resignation from that role.
and was re-appointed as captain after Martin Johnson retired. In August 2004, Dallaglio announced his retirement from the national team due to the brutal demands of international rugby but after being selected for the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
he changed his mind and made himself available for international selection again. He was a member of England's squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
and made a late appearance as a substitute in the final
, winning his 85th cap. On 3 January 2008, Dallaglio announced that he was retiring from international rugby with immediate effect and from domestic rugby at the end of the current season
; he also stated that he would like to take up coaching in the future. In a fairy-tale end to his career, Wasps won the 2008 Guinness Premiership Final on 31 May 2008 in front of a capacity crowd of 81,600 at Twickenham
, then a world Rugby Union record attendance for a club match.
, London
. He was educated at King's House School
in Richmond
and at Ampleforth College
, one of the leading Roman Catholic boarding schools in England, where he was affectionately known as "Del Boy", (though he actually attained his A-levels at The Oxford School of Learning), and at Kingston University
to study Property Development.
In 1985, as a 13-year-old chorister
in the King's House School choir
, Dallaglio and 20 other choristers sang backing vocals on the song "We Don't Need Another Hero
" by Tina Turner
. This only became known in 2005, when the Musicians' Union
, having realised that the choristers had not been paid royalties on the record, attempted to track them down. As part of the same choir, Dallaglio sang at the wedding of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber
.
Because Dallaglio's father, Vincenzo, is Italian, and his mother, Eileen, was half Irish
, he was eligible to play for both Italy
and Ireland
, as well as England, and in the early 1990s he turned down an invitation to play for Ireland.
His sister Francesca, a 19-year-old student ballerina, died in the Marchioness disaster
in 1989.
-winning squad with England
in 1993
. He was then a surprise choice for the 1994 England tour to South Africa. Yet the following winter he was not guaranteed a place in Wasps' back-row. The following season he became club captain when Dean Ryan
and Rob Andrew
left for Newcastle in October 1995, taking four experienced players with him. Dallaglio held the team together and 12 months later led Wasps to the first professional English league title.
He made his debut for England in November 1995 as a substitute against the Springboks
and toured South Africa as a member of the 1997 British & Irish Lions
squad.
He was given the England captaincy in the autumn of 1997 by new coach Clive Woodward
, taking over from Phil de Glanville
. The other candidate for the job, Martin Johnson, had led the Lions tour, but Dallaglio was preferred.
Dallaglio continued to play for England, especially in the number eight position, forming — with Neil Back
and Richard Hill
— the Hill, Back, Dallaglio back-row trio affectionately nicknamed the Holy Trinity.
Dallaglio had a good season in 1999–2000, when he regained the club captaincy. Although Wasps' league form was disappointing, Dallaglio led them to the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup
and to a second successive Tetley's Bitter Cup
victory.
After another strong season in 2000–01, he was selected for his second Lions tour
, but an injury in the last game of the domestic season, against Bath, meant he was doubtful for the trip to Australia. The Lions passed him fit but the knee gave way in a mid-week match, cutting short his tour and forcing him to undergo reconstructive surgery.
Dallaglio was a key member of the 2003 England Grand Slam and World Cup
-winning side, being the only player to play in every minute of England's World Cup campaign. He regained the captaincy in 2004 after Johnson's retirement from international rugby, but without Johnson the team played poorly, and Dallaglio announced his retirement from international rugby on 31 August 2004.
Despite his international retirement, Dallaglio was called up for his third Lions tour in 2005
but he fractured his ankle during the first tour match, against Bay of Plenty
on 4 June, and did not play again during the tour.
At the end of 2005, Dallaglio announced that he was making himself available again for England selection and he was included in the squad for the 2006 Six Nations Championship
. He was named on the bench for England's opening match of the tournament against Wales on 4 February at Twickenham
. He was a blood replacement
for clubmate Joe Worsley
after 13 minutes and on 64 minutes was a replacement for Martin Corry, touching down with a clinically executed charge from the back of the scrum on 70 minutes. He gained three more caps off the bench during the tournament, but did not play in the last game of the championship, when England lost 28–24 to Ireland.
Dallaglio returned from an ankle injury early in the 2006–07 domestic season
to reclaim the club captaincy at Wasps, but an indifferent Guinness Premiership
season ended with them failing to qualify for the play-offs for the first time since the introduction of the knockout system. However, Dallaglio and his teammates saved their best performances for the Heineken Cup
; he led the club to its second European championship win on 20 May 2007. The final, played at Twickenham
, set a world record for the highest attendance figure for a club rugby match (at around 82,000). Wasps' opponents, Leicester Tigers
had already won the EDF Energy Cup
and the Guinness Premiership
trophies) and were favourites to achieve an unprecedented Treble, especially as they had beaten Wasps 40–26 at Welford Road
less than a month earlier, but it was Wasps who emerged as victors, winning the game 25–9.
In the following season he joined London Wasps late because of the Rugby World Cup. He returned to find London Wasps struggling near the bottom of the Guinness Premiership
. Wasps fortunes quickly changed. They made it through the group in the EDF Cup, and started climbing up the table. despite this good form in domestic competitions, they narrowly failed to make it out of their Heineken Cup group
. They lost out to Munster
, the eventual winners, but could have made it out if they had beaten them in Ireland
in the final matchday of pool play.
They soon hit top form in the Premiership, winning game after game. They reached the play-offs and drew a home match against Bath
. They won the game 21-6, but lost rising star Danny Cipriani
to a injury. Leicester Tigers
beat Gloucester to qualify for the Premiership final. This match was to be Lawrence Dallaglio's last ever match, and it was to be played in front of a capacity crowd of 81,600 at Twickenham. They were made to fight, but eventually won 26-16. Dallalgio later claimed it was Wasps' greatest Premiership title, noting the damaging effect the Rugby World Cup had on their squad.
In the 67th minute of the Premiership final, he was substituted, and received a standing ovation by the sell out crowd.
Lawrence made a sly appearance, at blindside flanker, for London Wasps "A" Team in the Guinness A League on 8 September 2008. He was getting game time before he captained an England XV for the Help For Heroes game at Twickenham on 20 September later that month.
Already a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours.
He has also received an Honorary Doctorate from Buckinghamshire New University for services to sport. The Doctorate was conferred on 12 September 2008.
Lawrence has continued to play an active part in the sport since his retirement through his appointment as rugby ambassador for Greene King IPA, the Official Beer of England Rugby.
He was an analyst for ITV
's coverage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup
. He co-commentated with Nick Mullins
in the semi final between Australia and New Zealand.
to attend a pre-World Cup training camp and he was later named in the 30-man World Cup squad, alongside Joe Worsley
and Jason Robinson
, who were also veterans of England's 2003 Rugby World Cup
success. Dallaglio said "The fans can expect this England team to give absolutely everything and play with an enormous amount of passion and pride."
England started poorly in the tournament, with an unconvincing 28–10 victory over the United States
and a 36–0 loss to eventual champions South Africa
. Dallaglio started the first game at number eight, but was dropped for the South Africa match in favour of Nick Easter
, who became first choice for the rest of the tournament.
Following the loss to South Africa, England began to improve steadily and, against most expectations, reached the final
, where they lost a closely fought game. The improvement in performance was credited to the influence of a number of senior players, including Dallaglio (who made a number of appearances off the bench) and Mike Catt
.
Soon after the World Cup tournament, Dallaglio and Catt each published an autobiography that was serialised in a major newspaper. Both players were highly critical of coach Brian Ashton's performance. Many commentators questioned the wisdom of making public criticisms so soon after the tournament and Dallaglio later issued a clarification and partial apology.
that he had used and been a dealer in hard drugs, including cocaine
and ecstasy
: the incidents were alleged to have taken place eight or nine years earlier, though the newspaper's front-page story made no mention of this. The newspaper also reported that Dallaglio had boasted about taking drugs at a party during the Lions tour to South Africa, in 1997.
Dallaglio "categorically denied" the newspaper's claim that he had dealt in drugs and said he had been the victim of "an elaborate set-up". In response, News of the World editor Phil Hall
said: "We stand by our story. Lawrence Dallaglio is damned in his own words and frankly, we are amazed at his denial."
England coach Clive Woodward
, who was one of a panel of senior RFU
officials who met Dallaglio to investigate the matter, said he was "bitterly disappointed" for the player and his family but was confident he would be "proved innocent". The RFU
undertook their own investigation to assess the veracity of the claims and Leicester
lock and British & Irish Lions skipper Martin Johnson was appointed to replace Dallaglio as England captain.
, the charity of British and Irish rugby that supports disadvantaged children and young people in UK and Ireland.
In the summer of 2008, he cycled 933 km across the Pyrenees
as part of a team of 30 cyclists, raising £435,000 for Bliss
, the special care baby charity. Starting out in Biarritz
and finishing in Banyuls, he was joined by former rugby player Damian Hopley
and ski expert Warren Smith
.
In the same month Dallaglio captained the Help for Heroes XV at a charity match in Twickenham. The side, which included former England Internationals Will Greenwood
, Jason Robinson and current England Team Manager Martin Johnson, defeated the International XV led by former Wales captain Scott Gibbs
. Dallaglio ended the match by kicking the final conversion, bringing the score to 29 - 10. In front of a 52,254 strong crowd at Twickenham
the game raised funds approximately £1.3 million for Help for Heroes
.
On September 2009 Dallaglio launched a website to accommodate his charity work called Dallaglio Foundation. It details upcoming events and challenges he or the foundation are involved in throughout the year as well as the charities he supports and the latest news regarding the foundation's activities.
In February 2010, Dallaglio embarked on a gruelling cycle from Rome to Edinburgh during the RBS 6 Nations Championship to raise money for Sport Relief
and the Dallaglio Foundation.
The Dallaglio Cycle Slam took place over the course of a month, seeing a team, including former Arsenal FC and England
football international Lee Dixon
cycling through all of the RBS 6 Nations countries, taking in each of the international rugby stadia along the way. The aim was to raise £1 million, net proceeds of which were split equally between Sport Relief and the newly formed Dallaglio Foundation, whose beneficiaries include Cancer Research UK
, DebRA
, Leukaemia Research
, Help for Heroes and the RPA Benevolent Fund.
England
Lions
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born August 10, 1972, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) is a retired English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player and former captain of the English national team. He played as a flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
or number eight for London Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
and never played for another club, having arrived at Sudbury as a teenager. He was capped
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
in all three positions in the back row, and captained England until a newspaper scandal forced his resignation from that role.
Career
Lawrence Dallaglio was a key member of the England team that won the 2003 Rugby World Cup2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
and was re-appointed as captain after Martin Johnson retired. In August 2004, Dallaglio announced his retirement from the national team due to the brutal demands of international rugby but after being selected for the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
In 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...
he changed his mind and made himself available for international selection again. He was a member of England's squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
and made a late appearance as a substitute in the final
2007 Rugby World Cup Final
The 2007 Rugby World Cup Final was a rugby union match, played on Saturday, 20 October 2007 at the Stade de France, Saint-Denis, Paris. The match determined the winner of the 2007 Rugby World Cup and the de facto world champions for the next four years...
, winning his 85th cap. On 3 January 2008, Dallaglio announced that he was retiring from international rugby with immediate effect and from domestic rugby at the end of the current season
2007-08 Guinness Premiership
The 2007–08 Guinness Premiership was the 21st season of the top flight of the English domestic rugby union competitions, played between September 2007 and May 2008. Due to the 2007 Rugby World Cup the season started slightly later than normal, as England were trying to defend their title...
; he also stated that he would like to take up coaching in the future. In a fairy-tale end to his career, Wasps won the 2008 Guinness Premiership Final on 31 May 2008 in front of a capacity crowd of 81,600 at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
, then a world Rugby Union record attendance for a club match.
Early life
Dallaglio, was born in Shepherd's BushShepherd's Bush
-Commerce:Commercial activity in Shepherd's Bush is now focused on the Westfield shopping centre next to Shepherd's Bush Central line station and on the many small shops which run along the northern side of the Green....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was educated at King's House School
King's House School
'King's House School' is an independent day preparatory school in Richmond, England.Founded in 1947, King's House School currently accommodates, as of 2006, 396 boys between the ages of 4 and 13 years.- Present School :...
in Richmond
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South West London, UK, which forms part of Outer London. It is unique because it is the only London borough situated both north and south of the River Thames.-Settlement:...
and at Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, England, is the largest Roman Catholic co-educational boarding independent school in the United Kingdom. It opened in 1802, as a boys' school, and is run by the Benedictine monks and lay staff of Ampleforth Abbey...
, one of the leading Roman Catholic boarding schools in England, where he was affectionately known as "Del Boy", (though he actually attained his A-levels at The Oxford School of Learning), and at Kingston University
Kingston University
Kingston University is a public research university located in Kingston upon Thames, southwest London, United Kingdom. It was originally founded in 1899 as Kingston Technical Institute, a polytechnic, and became a university in 1992....
to study Property Development.
In 1985, as a 13-year-old chorister
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
in the King's House School choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, Dallaglio and 20 other choristers sang backing vocals on the song "We Don't Need Another Hero
We Don't Need Another Hero
"We Don't Need Another Hero " is the hit theme song to the 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome with Mel Gibson and Tina Turner. The single was recorded by Turner, who played Aunty Entity in the movie...
" by Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
. This only became known in 2005, when the Musicians' Union
Musicians' Union (UK)
-About the MU:The Musicians' Union is an organisation which represents over 30,000 musicians working in all sectors of the UK music business.-Campaigns:The MU stages regular campaigns in relation to relevant musical and industrial issues...
, having realised that the choristers had not been paid royalties on the record, attempted to track them down. As part of the same choir, Dallaglio sang at the wedding of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
.
Because Dallaglio's father, Vincenzo, is Italian, and his mother, Eileen, was half Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, he was eligible to play for both Italy
Italy national rugby union team
The Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
and Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
, as well as England, and in the early 1990s he turned down an invitation to play for Ireland.
His sister Francesca, a 19-year-old student ballerina, died in the Marchioness disaster
Marchioness disaster
The Marchioness disaster occurred on the River Thames in London in the early hours of 20 August 1989. The pleasure boat Marchioness sank after being run down by the dredger Bowbelle, near Cannon Street Railway Bridge. There were 131 people on the Marchioness. Some were members of the crew, some...
in 1989.
Career
Dallaglio was a member of the inaugural World Cup SevensRugby World Cup Sevens
The Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international Rugby sevens competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national sevens teams every four years. The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the...
-winning squad with England
England national rugby union team (sevens)
The English national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.-Honours:* 1973 International Seven-A-Side Tournament - Winners* Rugby World Cup Sevens Winners 1993* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2002* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2003*...
in 1993
1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens
The inaugural 1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens was held at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, Scotland, in April 1993. The International Rugby Board invited the established rugby union nations but also were keen to involve emerging nations in the event, recognising the fact that Sevens was providing the bridge...
. He was then a surprise choice for the 1994 England tour to South Africa. Yet the following winter he was not guaranteed a place in Wasps' back-row. The following season he became club captain when Dean Ryan
Dean Ryan
Dean Ryan is a former corporal in the Corp of Royal Engineers and England Rugby Union Number 8, and was Head Coach at Guinness Premiership side Gloucester Rugby.-Playing career:During his on-field career Ryan played for Saracens, Wasps, Newcastle and Bristol...
and Rob Andrew
Rob Andrew
Christopher Robert "Rob" Andrew MBE , nicknamed "Squeaky", is a former English rugby union footballer and currently Director of Operations at the RFU. He was formerly the Director of Rugby of Newcastle Falcons. As a player, Andrew was assured in his kicking and defensive skills off both feet...
left for Newcastle in October 1995, taking four experienced players with him. Dallaglio held the team together and 12 months later led Wasps to the first professional English league title.
He made his debut for England in November 1995 as a substitute against the Springboks
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
and toured South Africa as a member of the 1997 British & Irish Lions
1997 British Lions tour to South Africa
The 1997 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa was a series of matches played by the British and Irish Lions rugby union team in South Africa.This tour followed the Lions' 1993 tour to New Zealand and preceded their 2001 tour to Australia....
squad.
He was given the England captaincy in the autumn of 1997 by new coach Clive Woodward
Clive Woodward
Sir Clive Ronald Woodward OBE is an English former rugby union player and coach. He was coach of the team from 1997 to 2004, managing them to victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is currently the British Olympic Association's Director of Elite Performance.-Early life:Woodward was born in Ely...
, taking over from Phil de Glanville
Phil de Glanville
Philip Ranulph de Glanville is a former English rugby union player who played at centre for Bath and England.-Rugby career:...
. The other candidate for the job, Martin Johnson, had led the Lions tour, but Dallaglio was preferred.
Dallaglio continued to play for England, especially in the number eight position, forming — with Neil Back
Neil Back
Neil Antony Back is a former international rugby union footballer for England, who also played for Leicester Tigers, and captained both England and Leicester during his career....
and Richard Hill
Richard Hill (flanker)
Richard Hill MBE is a former rugby union footballer who played flanker for Saracens and England.Often portrayed as the 'silent assassin' at both club and international level, his effective and abrasive style of forward play has made him legendary in rugby union circles...
— the Hill, Back, Dallaglio back-row trio affectionately nicknamed the Holy Trinity.
Dallaglio had a good season in 1999–2000, when he regained the club captaincy. Although Wasps' league form was disappointing, Dallaglio led them to the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
and to a second successive Tetley's Bitter Cup
EDF Energy Cup
The Anglo-Welsh Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the LV Cup , is an English and Welsh rugby union knock-out cup competition featuring the twelve Aviva Premiership clubs and four Welsh Regions...
victory.
After another strong season in 2000–01, he was selected for his second Lions tour
2001 British Lions tour to Australia
The 2001 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia was a series of matches played by the British Lions rugby union team in Australia.This tour followed the Lions' 1997 tour to South Africa and preceded the 2005 tour to New Zealand....
, but an injury in the last game of the domestic season, against Bath, meant he was doubtful for the trip to Australia. The Lions passed him fit but the knee gave way in a mid-week match, cutting short his tour and forcing him to undergo reconstructive surgery.
Dallaglio was a key member of the 2003 England Grand Slam and World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
-winning side, being the only player to play in every minute of England's World Cup campaign. He regained the captaincy in 2004 after Johnson's retirement from international rugby, but without Johnson the team played poorly, and Dallaglio announced his retirement from international rugby on 31 August 2004.
Despite his international retirement, Dallaglio was called up for his third Lions tour in 2005
2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
In 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...
but he fractured his ankle during the first tour match, against Bay of Plenty
Bay of Plenty Rugby Union
The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union is the official governing body for rugby union in the Bay of Plenty, in the North-East of the North Island...
on 4 June, and did not play again during the tour.
At the end of 2005, Dallaglio announced that he was making himself available again for England selection and he was included in the squad for the 2006 Six Nations Championship
2006 Six Nations Championship
The 2006 RBS 6 Nations Championship was the seventh series of the rugby union Six Nations Championship to be held since the competition expanded in 2000 to include Italy...
. He was named on the bench for England's opening match of the tournament against Wales on 4 February at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
. He was a blood replacement
Blood replacement
In both rugby union and rugby league, a blood replacement is a special kind of substitution which can be used in the case of a player having to leave the field of play temporarily to have a wound attended to.- Rugby union :In rugby union, blood replacements are provided for by Law 3.10 of the...
for clubmate Joe Worsley
Joe Worsley
Joseph Paul Richard Worsley MBE is a retired English rugby union player who played flanker for Wasps and England.-Biography:...
after 13 minutes and on 64 minutes was a replacement for Martin Corry, touching down with a clinically executed charge from the back of the scrum on 70 minutes. He gained three more caps off the bench during the tournament, but did not play in the last game of the championship, when England lost 28–24 to Ireland.
Dallaglio returned from an ankle injury early in the 2006–07 domestic season
2006-07 Guinness Premiership
The 2006–07 Guinness Premiership was the 20th season of the top flight of the English domestic rugby union competitions, played between September 2006 and May 2007. It was announced during the 2005-06 season that the 2006-07 competition would end two weeks early due to the 2007 Rugby World Cup in...
to reclaim the club captaincy at Wasps, but an indifferent Guinness Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
season ended with them failing to qualify for the play-offs for the first time since the introduction of the knockout system. However, Dallaglio and his teammates saved their best performances for the Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
; he led the club to its second European championship win on 20 May 2007. The final, played at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
, set a world record for the highest attendance figure for a club rugby match (at around 82,000). Wasps' opponents, Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
had already won the EDF Energy Cup
2006-07 EDF Energy Cup
The 2006–07 EDF Energy Cup marked the 36th season of the English Rugby Union cup competition. It was the second season under the new Anglo-Welsh format and the first with EDF Energy as title sponsor...
and the Guinness Premiership
2006-07 Guinness Premiership
The 2006–07 Guinness Premiership was the 20th season of the top flight of the English domestic rugby union competitions, played between September 2006 and May 2007. It was announced during the 2005-06 season that the 2006-07 competition would end two weeks early due to the 2007 Rugby World Cup in...
trophies) and were favourites to achieve an unprecedented Treble, especially as they had beaten Wasps 40–26 at Welford Road
Welford Road Stadium
Welford Road is a rugby union stadium in Leicester, England and is the home ground for Leicester Tigers. It is located between Aylestone Road and Welford Road on the edge of the city centre...
less than a month earlier, but it was Wasps who emerged as victors, winning the game 25–9.
In the following season he joined London Wasps late because of the Rugby World Cup. He returned to find London Wasps struggling near the bottom of the Guinness Premiership
2007-08 Guinness Premiership
The 2007–08 Guinness Premiership was the 21st season of the top flight of the English domestic rugby union competitions, played between September 2007 and May 2008. Due to the 2007 Rugby World Cup the season started slightly later than normal, as England were trying to defend their title...
. Wasps fortunes quickly changed. They made it through the group in the EDF Cup, and started climbing up the table. despite this good form in domestic competitions, they narrowly failed to make it out of their Heineken Cup group
2007-08 Heineken Cup pool stage
The pool stage of the 2007–08 Heineken Cup began on 9 November 2007, and was completed on 20 January 2008. Involved in the pool stage were the 23 clubs that qualified through their respective domestic leagues, and one that qualified via the Italo-Celtic play-off match in May 2007...
. They lost out to Munster
Munster Rugby
Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
, the eventual winners, but could have made it out if they had beaten them in Ireland
Thomond Park
Thomond Park is a stadium located in Limerick in the Irish province of Munster. The stadium is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union and count Munster Rugby, Shannon RFC and UL Bohemian RFC as tenants. The capacity of the stadium is 26,500 following its large scale redevelopment in...
in the final matchday of pool play.
They soon hit top form in the Premiership, winning game after game. They reached the play-offs and drew a home match against Bath
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
. They won the game 21-6, but lost rising star Danny Cipriani
Danny Cipriani
Daniel Jerome Cipriani is an English rugby union footballer. He plays fly-half, centre and fullback. He has played for London Wasps and England. He's currently playing his first season of Super Rugby as a member of the inaugural Melbourne Rebels squad.-Biography:Danny Cipriani is mixed-race, his...
to a injury. Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
beat Gloucester to qualify for the Premiership final. This match was to be Lawrence Dallaglio's last ever match, and it was to be played in front of a capacity crowd of 81,600 at Twickenham. They were made to fight, but eventually won 26-16. Dallalgio later claimed it was Wasps' greatest Premiership title, noting the damaging effect the Rugby World Cup had on their squad.
In the 67th minute of the Premiership final, he was substituted, and received a standing ovation by the sell out crowd.
Lawrence made a sly appearance, at blindside flanker, for London Wasps "A" Team in the Guinness A League on 8 September 2008. He was getting game time before he captained an England XV for the Help For Heroes game at Twickenham on 20 September later that month.
Already a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours.
He has also received an Honorary Doctorate from Buckinghamshire New University for services to sport. The Doctorate was conferred on 12 September 2008.
Lawrence has continued to play an active part in the sport since his retirement through his appointment as rugby ambassador for Greene King IPA, the Official Beer of England Rugby.
He was an analyst for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's coverage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
. He co-commentated with Nick Mullins
Nick Mullins
Nick Mullins is a British rugby union commentator for ESPN's live Guinness Premiership coverage. He previously covered Six Nations Championship, Guinness Premiership and Anglo-Welsh Cup matches for the BBC. He is the main commentator for the Wimbledon championship for BBC Radio 5 Live...
in the semi final between Australia and New Zealand.
2007 Rugby World Cup
On 15 June 2007, Dallaglio was one of 47 players chosen by England coach Brian AshtonBrian Ashton (rugby player)
William Brian Ashton MBE is a former rugby union player and the former Head Coach of the England and Ireland national rugby union teams.-Biography:...
to attend a pre-World Cup training camp and he was later named in the 30-man World Cup squad, alongside Joe Worsley
Joe Worsley
Joseph Paul Richard Worsley MBE is a retired English rugby union player who played flanker for Wasps and England.-Biography:...
and Jason Robinson
Jason Robinson
Jason Thorpe Robinson OBE is an English former international rugby union and rugby league player of the 1990s and 2000s. Playing at wing or fullback, he won fifty-one rugby union international test caps in total for England, and in rugby league he won twelve caps for Great Britain and seven for...
, who were also veterans of England's 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
success. Dallaglio said "The fans can expect this England team to give absolutely everything and play with an enormous amount of passion and pride."
England started poorly in the tournament, with an unconvincing 28–10 victory over the United States
United States national rugby union team
USA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
and a 36–0 loss to eventual champions South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
. Dallaglio started the first game at number eight, but was dropped for the South Africa match in favour of Nick Easter
Nick Easter
Nick Easter is a rugby union rugby player who plays at No. 8 or Flanker for Harlequins and England.He is the brother of Sale Sharks player Mark Easter and the nephew of author Anne Easter Smith. His father John, played squash professionally and reached number 1 in Britain and No.9 in the world...
, who became first choice for the rest of the tournament.
Following the loss to South Africa, England began to improve steadily and, against most expectations, reached the final
2007 Rugby World Cup Final
The 2007 Rugby World Cup Final was a rugby union match, played on Saturday, 20 October 2007 at the Stade de France, Saint-Denis, Paris. The match determined the winner of the 2007 Rugby World Cup and the de facto world champions for the next four years...
, where they lost a closely fought game. The improvement in performance was credited to the influence of a number of senior players, including Dallaglio (who made a number of appearances off the bench) and Mike Catt
Mike Catt
Michael John "Mike" Catt OBE is a South African-born former English rugby union footballer who played for London Irish and Bath. He earned 75 international caps for England and played in three World Cup Finals, in 1995, 2003 and 2007...
.
Soon after the World Cup tournament, Dallaglio and Catt each published an autobiography that was serialised in a major newspaper. Both players were highly critical of coach Brian Ashton's performance. Many commentators questioned the wisdom of making public criticisms so soon after the tournament and Dallaglio later issued a clarification and partial apology.
Drugs scandal
On 24 May 1999 Lawrence Dallaglio resigned as England's rugby union captain following allegations in the News of the WorldNews of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
that he had used and been a dealer in hard drugs, including cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and ecstasy
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
MDMA is an entactogenic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of drugs. In popular culture, MDMA has become widely known as "ecstasy" , usually referring to its street pill form, although this term may also include the presence of possible adulterants...
: the incidents were alleged to have taken place eight or nine years earlier, though the newspaper's front-page story made no mention of this. The newspaper also reported that Dallaglio had boasted about taking drugs at a party during the Lions tour to South Africa, in 1997.
Dallaglio "categorically denied" the newspaper's claim that he had dealt in drugs and said he had been the victim of "an elaborate set-up". In response, News of the World editor Phil Hall
Phil Hall (journalist)
Phil Hall is a British PR consultant and former newspaper editor.Hall entered journalism in 1974, as a reporter on the Dagenham Post. He then moved to the Ilford Recorder and subsequently filled a sub-editor post on the Newham Recorder, but returned to reporting at the Sunday People...
said: "We stand by our story. Lawrence Dallaglio is damned in his own words and frankly, we are amazed at his denial."
England coach Clive Woodward
Clive Woodward
Sir Clive Ronald Woodward OBE is an English former rugby union player and coach. He was coach of the team from 1997 to 2004, managing them to victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is currently the British Olympic Association's Director of Elite Performance.-Early life:Woodward was born in Ely...
, who was one of a panel of senior RFU
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
officials who met Dallaglio to investigate the matter, said he was "bitterly disappointed" for the player and his family but was confident he would be "proved innocent". The RFU
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
undertook their own investigation to assess the veracity of the claims and Leicester
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
lock and British & Irish Lions skipper Martin Johnson was appointed to replace Dallaglio as England captain.
Charitable work
Dallaglio is involved in charity work, particularly children's charities, and is an active Honorary President for the Middlesex Region of the Wooden SpoonWooden Spoon Society
Wooden Spoon is a children's charity founded in 1983, when the England rugby team received the Wooden Spoon in the 5 Nations. Spoon is dedicated to helping children and young people who are disadvantaged physically, mentally or socially by using sport as a method of improving lives while...
, the charity of British and Irish rugby that supports disadvantaged children and young people in UK and Ireland.
In the summer of 2008, he cycled 933 km across the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
as part of a team of 30 cyclists, raising £435,000 for Bliss
Bliss (charity)
Bliss is the UK charity that helps care for premature and sick babies. They support families, fund research and campaign for improved hospital resources.Its patron is HRH The Duchess of Gloucester and its chief executive is Andy Cole.-History:...
, the special care baby charity. Starting out in Biarritz
Biarritz
Biarritz is a city which lies on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast, in south-western France. It is a luxurious seaside town and is popular with tourists and surfers....
and finishing in Banyuls, he was joined by former rugby player Damian Hopley
Damian Hopley
Damian Hopley born 12 April 1970 in London, is a former rugby union player for London Wasps and England.Hopley's position of choice was on the wing or in the centres....
and ski expert Warren Smith
Warren Smith
Warren Smith may refer to:*Warren Smith , golf professional, Cherry Hills Country Club*Warren Smith , American Rockabilly artist*Warren Smith , American jazz drummer...
.
In the same month Dallaglio captained the Help for Heroes XV at a charity match in Twickenham. The side, which included former England Internationals Will Greenwood
Will Greenwood
William John Heaton "Will" Greenwood, MBE is an English former rugby union footballer of the 1990s and 2000s.-Career:...
, Jason Robinson and current England Team Manager Martin Johnson, defeated the International XV led by former Wales captain Scott Gibbs
Scott Gibbs
Scott Gibbs is a former rugby footballer who represented Wales and the Lions in rugby union and Wales and Great Britain in rugby league...
. Dallaglio ended the match by kicking the final conversion, bringing the score to 29 - 10. In front of a 52,254 strong crowd at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
the game raised funds approximately £1.3 million for Help for Heroes
Help for Heroes
Help for Heroes is a British charity launched on 1 October 2007 to help provide better facilities for British servicemen and women wounded since September 11, 2001. It was founded by Bryn Parry OBE and his wife Emma Parry OBE after they visited soldiers at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham...
.
On September 2009 Dallaglio launched a website to accommodate his charity work called Dallaglio Foundation. It details upcoming events and challenges he or the foundation are involved in throughout the year as well as the charities he supports and the latest news regarding the foundation's activities.
In February 2010, Dallaglio embarked on a gruelling cycle from Rome to Edinburgh during the RBS 6 Nations Championship to raise money for Sport Relief
Sport Relief
Sport Relief is a biennial charity event from Comic Relief, in association with BBC Sport, which brings together the worlds of sport and entertainment to raise money to help vulnerable people in both the UK and the world's poorest countries...
and the Dallaglio Foundation.
The Dallaglio Cycle Slam took place over the course of a month, seeing a team, including former Arsenal FC and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football international Lee Dixon
Lee Dixon
Lee Michael Dixon is a former English professional footballer born in Manchester.He formed part of the Arsenal defence from the late 1980s, through till 2002. He was capped 22 times for England, scoring once....
cycling through all of the RBS 6 Nations countries, taking in each of the international rugby stadia along the way. The aim was to raise £1 million, net proceeds of which were split equally between Sport Relief and the newly formed Dallaglio Foundation, whose beneficiaries include Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK is a cancer research and awareness charity in the United Kingdom, formed on 4 February 2002 by the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. Its aim is to reduce the number of deaths from cancer. As the world's largest independent cancer...
, DebRA
DEBRA
DebRA U.K. is a British medical research charity dedicated to the curing of Epidermolysis bullosa. Epidermolysis bullosa is a genetic condition that in its most severe forms affects all of the body's linings, the skin, the linings of the mouth and oesophagus, etc - even the eyes...
, Leukaemia Research
Leukaemia Research
Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research is a British charitable organisation, established in 1960by the Eastwood family from Middlesbrough who started raising money, following the death of their 6-year-old daughter Susan....
, Help for Heroes and the RPA Benevolent Fund.
Honours
WaspsLondon Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
- PremiershipGuinness PremiershipThe English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
1996–97, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2007–08 - Powergen Cup 1998–99, 1999–00, 2005–06
- Heineken CupHeineken CupThe Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
2003–04, 2006–07 - Parker Pen Challenge CupEuropean Challenge CupThe European Challenge Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Amlin Challenge Cup, is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup. The cup was known as the Parker Pen Shield from 2001 to 2003 and Parker Pen Challenge Cup from 2003 to 2005. The European...
2002–03
England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
- Six NationsSix Nations ChampionshipThe Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
1996, 2000, 2001, 2003 - World Cup SevensRugby World Cup SevensThe Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international Rugby sevens competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national sevens teams every four years. The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the...
1993 - World CupRugby World CupThe Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
2003
Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
- South Africa1997 British Lions tour to South AfricaThe 1997 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa was a series of matches played by the British and Irish Lions rugby union team in South Africa.This tour followed the Lions' 1993 tour to New Zealand and preceded their 2001 tour to Australia....
1997 - Australia 2001
- New Zealand2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New ZealandIn 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...
2005