Matt Hampson
Encyclopedia
Matt Hampson is a former English rugby union
prop who became quadriplegic
after a scrummaging
practice accident for England under 21 on 15 March 2005.
Hampson took up rugby as a 5-year old for Oakham, joining Syston when he was 12. He joined Leicester Tigers
academy at the under 16 age group and was made an apprentice for the 2001/2 season. He was regarded as a promising prop and although he had not made his Leicester debut he had been an unused bench replacement.
Hampson's accident happened on Tuesday 15 March 2005 when the England under 21 team were preparing for an under 21 Six Nations match against Scotland. In what he described as a freak accident, a scrum
collapsed and dislocated his neck. Referee and former paramedic Tony Spreadbury
was praised for his quick reaction to stabilise Hampson's neck, saving him even further damage.
Hampson requires support and an estimated £8 million over his lifetime. The rugby union community have reacted by auctioning off sports memorabilia
and holding benefit matches. Both the senior England and Scotland teams donated their shirts from their senior 2005 Six Nations match.
On 28 May 2007 a match dubbed the 'Matt Hampson Bowl' was played between the Loughborough Aces college American Football team, and the Leicester Panthers American football team, with all proceeds being donated to the Matt Hampson Trust. The Panthers, who featured many former players including former England Rugby captain Martin Johnson ran out 20-3 winners.
Hampson divides his time between raising money for spinal care both for himself and others, and spinal research, coaching youngsters at Oakham School
, physiotherapy sessions and writing columns for the Leicester Mercury
's Sporting Green and International Rugby News. He is particularly supported by his sister Amy, her boyfriend Adam Wheatley and former England U21 captain Matt Cornwell
.
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...
prop who became quadriplegic
Quadriplegia
Tetraplegia, also known as quadriplegia, is paralysis caused by illness or injury to a human that results in the partial or total loss of use of all their limbs and torso; paraplegia is similar but does not affect the arms...
after a scrummaging
Scrum (rugby union)
In rugby union a scrum is a means of restarting play after a minor infringement. It involves up to eight players from each team, known as the pack or forward pack, binding together in three rows and interlocking with the free opposing teams forwards. At this point the ball is fed into the gap...
practice accident for England under 21 on 15 March 2005.
Hampson took up rugby as a 5-year old for Oakham, joining Syston when he was 12. He joined 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...
academy at the under 16 age group and was made an apprentice for the 2001/2 season. He was regarded as a promising prop and although he had not made his Leicester debut he had been an unused bench replacement.
Hampson's accident happened on Tuesday 15 March 2005 when the England under 21 team were preparing for an under 21 Six Nations match against Scotland. In what he described as a freak accident, a scrum
Scrum (rugby)
Scrum , in the sports of rugby union and rugby league, is a way of restarting the game, either after an accidental infringement or when the ball has gone out of play...
collapsed and dislocated his neck. Referee and former paramedic Tony Spreadbury
Tony Spreadbury
Antony John "Tony" Spreadbury, commonly known as Spreaders , is a retired international rugby union referee....
was praised for his quick reaction to stabilise Hampson's neck, saving him even further damage.
Hampson requires support and an estimated £8 million over his lifetime. The rugby union community have reacted by auctioning off sports memorabilia
Sports memorabilia
The term sports memorabilia usually refers to anything that can be directly connected to a sports event or personality. These items are generally gathered by the fans of the particular sport, athlete or team that the item signifies or by collectors who find value in the rarity time-value of these...
and holding benefit matches. Both the senior England and Scotland teams donated their shirts from their senior 2005 Six Nations match.
On 28 May 2007 a match dubbed the 'Matt Hampson Bowl' was played between the Loughborough Aces college American Football team, and the Leicester Panthers American football team, with all proceeds being donated to the Matt Hampson Trust. The Panthers, who featured many former players including former England Rugby captain Martin Johnson ran out 20-3 winners.
Hampson divides his time between raising money for spinal care both for himself and others, and spinal research, coaching youngsters at Oakham School
Oakham School
Oakham School is a British co-educational independent school in the historic market town of Oakham in Rutland, accepting around 1,000 pupils, aged from 10 to 18, both male and female, as boarders and day pupils . The Good Schools Guide called the school "a privileged but unpretentious and...
, physiotherapy sessions and writing columns for the Leicester Mercury
Leicester Mercury
The Leicester Mercury is a British regional newspaper, owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust, for the city of Leicester and the counties of Leicestershire and Rutland...
's Sporting Green and International Rugby News. He is particularly supported by his sister Amy, her boyfriend Adam Wheatley and former England U21 captain Matt Cornwell
Matt Cornwell
Matt Cornwell is a rugby union player for Northampton Saints in the Aviva Premiership.He previously played for Leicester Tigers and the Exeter Chiefs.Cornwell usually plays as a centre or full-back....
.