Lawrence Dallaglio factfile

The life and times of Lawrence Dallaglio, who announced his retirement on January 3rd 2008.

1972: Born Lawrence Bruno Nero Dallaglio on August 10 in Shepherd's Bush, London. 1989: Wins the Open and Festival Tournaments at Rosslyn Park with Ampleforth College Sevens team. 1990: Joins Wasps. 1993: Plays in England's World Cup Sevens-winning team at Murrayfield. 1994: Tours South Africa with England. 1995: In October, takes over Wasps captaincy when Rob Andrew leaves for Newcastle. Makes Test debut in November, coming on as a replacement for Tim Rodber against South Africa at Twickenham. 1997: Captains Wasps to league title. Key player in Lions' historic tour success in South Africa. Named England captain in late October. 1998: Because of a recurring shoulder injury, misses the disastrous southern hemisphere tour on which a weakened England squad fails to win a Test. Gives up Wasps captaincy and is re-appointed England skipper until after the 1999 World Cup. 1999: Captains England throughout Five Nations Championship. Plays in Tetley's Bitter Cup final victory against Newcastle. May 24 - Resigns as England captain after newspaper allegations that he took drugs, which he flatly denied. Martin Johnson of Leicester appointed captain for tour of Australia and World Cup. July 9 - Rugby Football Union announce Dallaglio will be re-admitted to England training session on July 19. August 4 - Charged by English rugby union bosses with bringing the game into disrepute. August 18 - Recalled to the England team for the international against the United States. August 23 - Drugs charge against Dallaglio dropped less than 48 hours before his Twickenham hearing after new evidence emerges. Subsequently fined £15,000 for bringing the game into disrepute and ordered to pay £10,000 costs. 2000: Leads Wasps to second-successive Tetley's Bitter Cup triumph. November - Takes unprecedented legal action with the rest of the England squad in a performance-related pay dispute which is resolved within a couple of days. 2001: May - Comes through fitness tests to take place in the Lions squad for tour Down Under. June 23 - Appears to have won his fitness battle when he lines up for Lions against NSW Waratahs in Sydney, but is clearly way off the pace required to perform at Test level. June 24 - Lions management announce the Wasps flanker has been ruled out of the tour due to injury. August - Undergoes knee reconstruction surgery. 2002: March - Makes his comeback as a substitute for Wasps in Premiership game at Sale. April - Returns to England set-up for final Six Nations Championship game of the season against Italy in Rome, featuring off the bench. April - Named England skipper for non-cap game against Barbarians in May. May - Withdraws from Barbarians game and short summer tour to Argentina because of hand injury. November 9 - Wins his 49th cap and makes first England start for more than 18 months in thrilling Twickenham victory over New Zealand. November 12 - Left on replacements' bench for England's Twickenham appointment with world champions Australia, but is quickly back in favour ahead of the 2003 Six Nations campaign. 2003: March 30 - Scores a try as England win their first Six Nations Grand Slam for eight years with a 42-6 victory over Ireland in Dublin. May - Plays vital roles as his club Wasps win the Zurich Premiership title and Parker Pen Challenge Cup. June 14 - Despite his second-half sin-binning, England defeat New Zealand in Wellington, their first victory on All Black soil for 30 years. June 21 - Helps England defeat Australia in Melbourne, a maiden victory over the Wallabies Down Under. October/November - Only player to start all seven matches of England's World Cup campaign, culminating in unforgettable 20-17 extra-time victory over Australia. 2004: January 28 - Named England captain for the RBS 6 Nations Championship opener against Italy in Rome on February 15. May - Captains Wasps to Heineken Cup glory as the Londoners beat Toulouse 27-20. Followed up by retaining their Zurich Premiership title in final against Bath. June 26 - Wins 73rd and - at that stage - final England cap in 51-15 defeat by Australia in Brisbane. August 31 - Announces retirement from England duty. 2005: May - Dallaglio's Wasps win a third successive Premiership title, beating Leicester 39-14 in Martin Johnson's final competitive match. June 4 - Ruled out of the remainder of the Lions tour of New Zealand after suffering a dislocated fracture of his right ankle in the opening tour match against Bay of Plenty. August 23 - Admits he will consider coming out of retirement from England duty. October 7 - Returns to action for Wasps after recovering from the ankle injury sustained on Lions duty, playing in the Powergen Cup win against Cardiff. 2006: January 10 - Dallaglio insists he is ready for an England recall after 16 months away from the national team, but vows: "I want to prove I'm good enough to be there on merit." January 17 - Reveals he retired from the national team 18 months ago due to the coaching regime of Sir Clive Woodward. January 18 - Named in England's RBS 6 Nations Championship training squad. February 4 - Makes first appearance for England in more than 18 months, coming off the bench to score a try in opening RBS 6 Nations win over Wales. Makes further substitute appearances against Italy, Scotland and France but fails to earn a starting berth. March 3 - Denies he is a destabilising influence on the England team and captain Martin Corry. March 30 - Signs two-year extension to his Wasps contract. April - Opts to miss England's summer tour of Australia to have four-inch metal plate removed from the ankle he fractured on the Lions tour. November - Omitted from the squad for England's opening two Autumn Test matches against New Zealand and Argentina. 2007: May - Produces a commanding performance to lead Wasps to victory in the Heineken Cup final against Leicester. June - Named in Brian Ashton's 47-man World Cup training squad. September 7 - starts England's opening World Cup match against USA and is sinbinned during it. October 20 - comes off the bench in England's World Cup final defeat against South Africa to win his 85th cap, making him joint second with Rory Underwood on the all-time England most capped players list. Makes critical comments about England coach Brian Ashton in his autobiography It's In The Blood, claiming the squad felt like a "pub team" and that Ashton lacked the skills needed for his job. Subsequently apologised for his comments. 2008: January 3 - Announces his immediate retirement from Test rugby and plans to quit playing altogether when his Wasps contract expires in May.