A piece of rugby history has changed hands: Lawrence Dallaglio's 2003 World Cup winner's medal has sold for £54,000.
One of English rugby's most treasured keepsakes has a new owner. Lawrence Dallaglio's 2003 Rugby World Cup winner's medal has gone under the hammer and sold for £54,000.
The medal comes from the high point of English rugby. In Sydney, England beat hosts Australia 20-17 in a tense final decided in extra time, with Jonny Wilkinson's late drop goal settling it. It remains the only men's World Cup the Northern Hemisphere has won.
Dallaglio was a central figure in that era. The back-rower was one of the toughest, most influential forwards of his generation, and he captained England before retiring from international rugby in 2004. His leadership and workrate helped shape a side that finally turned years of near-misses into global glory.
For collectors, a World Cup winner's medal from a final that still ranks among the sport's greatest nights is a rare prize. The £54,000 price shows how strongly the memory of that campaign still resonates with fans, more than two decades on.
