Phil VICKERY MBE

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Profile

• Date of birth: 14th March 1976
• Nationality: England
• Current Team: Retired
• Previous Team: London Wasps (2006-2010), Gloucester Rugby (1995-2006)

Biography

Phil Vickery MBE is one of rugby’s greatest players.

Capped 73 times by England and 5 times by the British & Irish Lions, Phil enjoyed a memorable career at club and international level before a final neck injury sustained when captaining London Wasps against his former club Gloucester in September 2010 forced his retirement from the game.

Since hanging up his boots, Phil continues to give up his time for a number of charities, including The Pied Piper Appeal and Wooden Spoon.

Phil was part of ITV Sport's team for their exclusive coverage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, and in October 2011 he was crowned BBC Celebrity MasterChef champion after beating journalist Kirsty Wark and actor Nick Pickard in the final.

Phil lives in Gloucestershire with his wife Kate and children Megan and Harry, and maintains a strong interest in country sports, as well as being founder of the successful sportswear company Raging Bull.

Phil's autobiography, "Raging Bull", was published in autumn 2010.

In December 2011, Phil joined Cinderford RFC as a coaching consultant.

CONTACT

For all enquiries about Phil Vickery, please contact Rob Burgess, Head of Rugby, James Grant Sports: rob@jamesgrantsports.com

PHIL'S RUGBY BIOGRAPHY

A proud Cornishman, Phil grew up on his parents’ dairy farm and started playing rugby at the age of 12 at his local club, Bude RFC, before moving on to Redruth. Playing in the front row of the scrum in the toughest position of all - tight-head prop - Phil’s natural size and ability were quickly recognised and he was selected for England at schools and colts level.

Aged 19, Phil accepted the invitation of Gloucester coach Richard Hill to up roots and join one of English rugby’s most famous clubs in 1995, just a few months before the advent of professionalism. The move enhanced his reputation as one of the most exciting young forwards in the game and it wasn’t long before Phil made his full England debut against Wales, aged 21, in 1998.

Over the next 12 years Phil experienced the highs and lows of international rugby. His first overseas trip with England was the infamous ‘Tour of Hell’ to the southern hemisphere in the summer of 1998, which included four straight Test defeats, the first by a record margin of 76-0 to Australia in Brisbane. Phil played in his first of three World Cups in 1999, and played all three Tests on the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2001.

Nicknamed the ‘Raging Bull' by coach Clive Woodward, Phil was a cornerstone of the England team that famously won the 2003 World Cup in Australia, a tournament that saw Phil score his first international try against Samoa. Fellow Gloucester team-mates Trevor Woodman and Andy Gomarsall also played key roles in England’s triumph, and the trio returned to a heroes’ welcome at Kingsholm.

One of Phil’s greatest honours was captaining England at the 2007 World Cup in France. A thumping 36-0 defeat to South Africa in the opening match led many to write off England’s chances but - after a few home-truths from the senior players - England defied the odds to beat Australia and France en route to reaching their second successive World Cup final. A second defeat in the tournament to South Africa meant the team had to be content with runners-up medals.

The 2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa brought pain and pleasure in equal measure. In the first Test in Durban, Phil came off second best in the scrums against Tendai ‘The Beast’ Mtawarira as the Lions went down 26-21. The second Test was won 28-25 by South Africa with the last kick of the match, before Phil – and the Lions – found their redemption in the third Test in Johannesberg, rounding off an epic series with a 28-9 victory.

In the club game, Phil was part of the Gloucester team that embraced the advent of professionalism. Backed by Chairman Tom Walkinshaw, the club invested heavily in the squad and under the guidance of head coach Philippe Saint-André reached the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup in 2000. After Saint-André’s departure, the team continued to flourish, winning the inaugural Zurich Premiership Final in 2002 against Bristol, before finishing 15 points clear at the top of the Premiership after the regular season in 2003 only to be beaten by Wasps in the play-off final. That same year Gloucester won the Powergen Cup.

In 2006, Phil left Gloucester to join London Wasps. With Sir Ian McGeechan at the helm, Phil went on to land the two club medals missing from his collection – the Heineken Cup in 2007, and the Premiership title in 2008.

Fittingly, Phil’s last game of rugby was on 25th September 2010 between Gloucester and Wasps, his only two professional clubs. A neck injury sustained during the match led to the Raging Bull’s retirement from the game after a stellar career that included 73 caps for England, 5 British & Irish Lions caps and a World Cup winner’s medal.

VIDEO CONTENT

> RBS RugbyForce launch, February 2011

> BBC London interview, October 2010: announcing his retirement

> Total Rugby feature, June 2010: a look at Phil's career with club and country