Former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio is set to auction his 2003 Rugby World Cup winner’s medal, more than two decades after helping England lift the sport’s biggest prize.
The 54-year-old rugby legend has put a collection of important memorabilia from his playing career up for sale following his bankruptcy. The items include medals, trophies and international caps, with the entire collection estimated to be worth around £180,000.
The headline item is undoubtedly Dallaglio’s 2003 Rugby World Cup winner’s medal. It is expected to fetch between £50,000 and £80,000 when it goes under the hammer.
The auction will be held by specialist sports memorabilia auction house Budds in Northamptonshire on 13 October 2026. Budds currently lists the event as its “Octoberfest: A Feast of Sporting Memorabilia” live auction, featuring more than 300 lots as well as the Lawrence Dallaglio collection.
Dallaglio’s 2003 medal carries huge history
For England rugby supporters, the medal is much more than another piece of sporting memorabilia.
Dallaglio was a key member of the England side that won the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Clive Woodward’s team defeated the hosts 20-17 after extra time in the final, with Jonny Wilkinson kicking the decisive drop goal.
Dallaglio played every minute of England’s campaign during that tournament, an achievement that underlines his importance to the team. World Rugby’s Hall of Fame describes him as a key member of the side that won both the Grand Slam and World Cup in 2003.
The number eight was also part of England’s 1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens-winning team. That means he belongs to a very small group of players to have won both the traditional Rugby World Cup and the Sevens World Cup.
His 2003 medal therefore represents one of the most important chapters in English rugby history.
What else is being auctioned?
The Lawrence Dallaglio World Cup medal is expected to attract the most attention, but it is far from the only significant item being sold.
Among the other pieces are his 1993 World Cup Sevens winner’s medal, a 2003 Six Nations Championship winner’s medal and a British and Irish Lions cap.
The collection also includes other memorabilia from his hugely successful career with Wasps and England.
According to World Rugby, Dallaglio won 85 England caps, captaining his country on 22 occasions. He also represented the British and Irish Lions on three tours and was part of the Lions side that won the Test series in South Africa in 1997.
Dallaglio spent his entire professional club career with Wasps and finished it in 2008. During that period, he became one of the most recognisable figures in English rugby.
He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2016, reflecting the scale of his contribution to the game.
Why is Dallaglio selling his memorabilia?
The auction comes after Dallaglio was declared bankrupt.
Speaking earlier this month on The High Performance podcast, Dallaglio discussed the financial difficulties he experienced following his divorce.
“I was made bankrupt,” he said, explaining that his financial problems followed the breakdown of his marriage. He also acknowledged that he could have handled some things better.
Dallaglio said the combination of divorce and bankruptcy had a major emotional impact on him. He revealed that he eventually sought therapy after finding himself stuck in a period of self-pity.
His comments offer some context around the decision to sell items that have enormous personal and sporting significance.
The auction itself is being presented as a major sporting memorabilia event rather than simply a sale of rugby items. Budds says its Octoberfest auction will feature more than 300 lots covering sporting history from different eras, with Dallaglio’s collection among the headline attractions.
A career filled with historic moments
Dallaglio’s memorabilia collection tells the story of one of England’s most successful rugby careers.
He made his England debut in 1995 and went on to become one of the country’s leading back-row forwards. He captained England during some of the team’s most memorable years and was a central figure in the build-up to the 2003 World Cup triumph.
His international career eventually ended after the 2007 World Cup, where England reached the final before losing to South Africa.
Dallaglio’s record also includes four Championship titles with England and three British and Irish Lions tours. The Lions’ official profile notes that he played all three Tests during the famous 1997 series victory over South Africa.
His club career was equally decorated. Dallaglio remained with Wasps throughout his professional career and helped the club win major domestic and European honours.
That makes the upcoming auction particularly interesting for collectors. Each item is connected to a different part of a career that stretched from the early 1990s through to his retirement in 2008.
The medal could become the biggest sale
The estimated £50,000 to £80,000 value of the 2003 World Cup medal means it could account for a substantial part of the collection’s overall estimated £180,000 value.
The final price, however, will only become clear once the auction takes place.
For collectors, the appeal is obvious. This is not simply a medal belonging to a former international player. It comes from England’s first and, to date, only men’s Rugby World Cup triumph.
The fact that Dallaglio was one of the players who featured throughout that historic campaign adds another layer to its significance.
The auction also comes at a time when sporting memorabilia continues to attract attention from collectors looking for pieces connected to famous moments and legendary athletes.
For England rugby fans, seeing such a personal piece of the 2003 triumph go under the hammer will undoubtedly be an emotional moment.
The Lawrence Dallaglio World Cup medal auction will take place at Budds in Northamptonshire on 13 October 2026. The collection is expected to draw significant interest, with the World Cup winner’s medal likely to be the centrepiece.
Dallaglio may now be selling one of the most valuable physical reminders of his playing career, but the achievement itself cannot be taken away. The 2003 World Cup victory remains one of the defining moments in English rugby history, and Dallaglio’s name is permanently attached to it.
For more rugby stories, major sporting updates and the latest news from around the world, stay tuned with ROKOCRICKET and subscribe for more updates.
