Wasps coach says Dallaglio one of the greatest captains in rugby history

LAWRENCE DALLAGLIO has been hailed by Wasps coach Shaun Edwards as a “shining example” and one of the greatest captains in rugby history.

Dallaglio, 35, has retired from England duty with immediate effect and he will bring the curtain down on a remarkable 18-year playing career, which has spanned both the amateur and professional eras, at the end of this season.

Dallaglio cites the British and Irish Lions series victory over South Africa in 1997 as the pinnacle of an international career which included England’s 2003 World Cup triumph and 22 Tests as captain.

At club level, Dallaglio has been central to the most successful era in Wasps’ history, captaining the club to eight European and domestic trophies including a hat-trick of Premiership titles and two Heineken Cup triumphs.

But it has not always been a smooth ride. Dallaglio lost his sister, Francesca, in the Marchioness disaster in 1989. Later he was stripped of the England captaincy following a newspaper expose and personal difficulties prompted him to retire from England duty for a year in 2004-05.

Through all that — and injuries which wrecked his Lions tours in both 2001 and 2005 — Dallaglio won 85 Test caps and the respect of rugby folk the world over.

“He has got to go down as one of the greatest captains in the history of rugby,” said Edwards.

Dallaglio maintained his decision to retire from England with immediate effect was because “the time is right” and is not related to his criticism of head coach Brian Ashton following last year’s World Cup.

Ashton said: “Lawrence has made a massive and influential contribution to his country and to London Wasps and I wish him all the best for the rest of this season and the future.”

Dallaglio’s long-term ambition is for a career in coaching – but his immediate plan is to help Wasps’ off-field business match their on-field success. Key to that is developing a new stadium — Wasps currently ground-share with Wycombe Wanderers football club — and driving the commercial side of the club.

Dallaglio explained: “I hope to assist the club in various capacities, whether it is marketing, commercial or at some stage in the future maybe even on the field. Coaching is something I’d like to do in the future, but not the immediate future. It is not something you can walk right into.