Latest news with #LawrenceDallaglio
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Lawrence Dallaglio is forced to sell his home for massive £600,000 less than advertised after split from wife: England legend 'now battling to get life back on track'
Lawrence Dallaglio took some massive hits on the way to becoming a World Cup winner and one of England's greatest rugby union players. Off the field, he's weathered the storms of cheating, drugs and brothel party scandals as well as overcoming tragedy and adversity. But now the rugby legend is facing perhaps his greatest ever challenge as he fights to get his life back on track after he was declared bankrupt in the wake of a bitter divorce ruck with his wife of 20 years. In the latest blow Dallaglio, 52, has been forced to sell the family home where he watched his children grow up to pay off his creditors. Dallaglio had hoped to pocket £3.3 million from the sale of the 'idyllic' four bedroomed property in leafy Richmond, Surrey, which he bought at the height of his career and had been his home for nearly 25 years. But MailOnline can reveal he's now sold the property at a knockdown price - losing out on £600,000 - because of the desperate state of his financial affairs. Ironically, the home has been snapped up by an up-and-coming young sports star. It's been bought by Brentford defender Jayden Meghoma, 18, who has represented England at Under 19 level and spent last season on loan at Preston North End. Land registry details show Meghoma, 19, paid £2.7 million for the property and has taken out a mortgage for £2.43 million with upmarket bank Coutts, whose clients include King Charles. While apparently making a healthy profit on the sale of the property, which Dallaglio bought for £925,000 in 2001, it emerged during an insolvency court hearing earlier this month that the equity in the home was only around £1.2million. The hearing was triggered by Dallaglio's estranged wife Alice, also 52, who was seeking an 'urgent' order allowing the immediate sale of the house. Alice, who was represented by separate lawyers from her husband, was said to have done so in the hope of staving off the imminent threat of Dallaglio's financial ruin. While the sale went through, the bid failed and Dallaglio was declared bankrupt after one of his creditors secured the order. It came two years after the sportsman, who now works as a TV pundit, narrowly avoided going bust following a petition by HM Revenue and Customs over an unpaid £700,000 tax bill. During proceedings his financial woes were laid bare after it was revealed his sports business, which he set up the year he became England captain in 1997, owed cash to a string of creditors. To prevent the firm being wound up by a court order, Dallaglio agreed to an 'individual voluntary agreement' to pay off his debts. But last year a report into his financial affairs stated Dallaglio was still being chased for hundreds of thousands of pounds in loans. The couple - who married in a romantic ceremony at Lake Como in 2005 - sold their home just months after appearing at the Central Family Court in Holborn to finalise the end of their marriage. When details of the divorce emerged, Alice's family hit back at claims the marriage had never recovered from a fling the former model had at the age of 31 with millionaire property developer Leon Butler in 2005. The affair happened after the couple's marriage reportedly hit a rocky patch following the birth of their children - son Enzo and daughters Ella and Josie. Her artist mother Lydia Corbett - who was said to have been Pablo Picasso's last muse - told how Dallaglio's troubles were at the heart of the split. She told MailOnline: 'I'm very sad about it. People marry and they divorce, I've been divorced twice so I know what it's like. It's horrible, it's painful for the heart and it's not fair. 'He did very well, I loved him, but he's going through a bad phase and we hope he's alright.' Certainly Alice - who met Dallaglio in 1992 when he was still trying to make his mark in the game - had plenty to contend with herself when Dallaglio dropped the ball on a number of occasions. Their marriage survived a succession of scandals dating back to the late Nineties when allegations of wild partying emerged, while Alice was at home looking after the children. Her affair came two years after the rugby ace allegedly slept with a married mother, leading to the woman divorcing her husband. Four years earlier, Dallaglio was stripped of the England captaincy after he allegedly confessed he had used prostitutes in Amsterdam, and was accused of using and dealing cocaine and ecstasy. He told an undercover newspaper reporter he had been a teenage drug dealer and reportedly added: 'I made big, big money from dealing in drugs. 'Why do you think I know so much about drugs? I was surrounded by it. I used to drive from one end of London to the other with five or six ounces of it (cocaine). 'That's how I used to make money before I took up rugby.' Dallaglio also allegedly boasted how he and two other players had taken ecstasy 'and then a couple of wraps of coke' to celebrate winning the 1997 Lions series in South Africa. At the time, Dallaglio claimed he had been 'naive and foolish' but admitted he had experimented with drugs in his late teens. He said he was now 'completely against drugs', adding: 'I will always regret the effect that this has had on everyone.' The incident led to him being fined £15,000 for bringing the game into disrepute on top of legal costs amounting to £10,000. In 2020 he found himself caught up in another sleazy scenario when a court heard Dallaglio made 'payments of up to £10,000 at a brothel' in Holborn, which also offered clients cocaine. Wood Green Crown Court heard how undercover police raided a Georgian townhouse in July 2019 where a gang were running a vice operation supplying £300-an-hour prostitutes as well as Class A drugs. Using evidence from card machines found in a secret compartment in a basement lavatory, prosecutors compiled a spreadsheet of payments made at the address. They included four from Dallaglio's account on March 22, 2019, amounting to a total of £10,500. One of the transactions, for £7,550, was paid into the account of one of the defendants, a Romanian madam aged 22. Dallaglio was interviewed under caution but was not arrested and did not give evidence in the case. Dallaglio's scandals off the pitch seem at odds with his powerhouse performances at the back of the scrum during a glittering career. At 6ft 4ins and weighing 17 stone, he earned 85 caps playing for England - including 22 as captain - and was a key member of the 2003 World Cup winning squad. He was also picked for the British & Irish Lions on three separate tours, and won five Premiership titles and two Heineken Cups in the all-conquering Wasps teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Dallaglio has told how he was inspired to make something of his life following the tragic death of his older sister Francesca in the Marchioness riverboat disaster in 1989. At 19, the trainee ballerina, who had performed for Princess Diana, was the youngest of the 51 victims who died after two boats collided on the River Thames in London. Dallaglio - who was brought up a Roman Catholic - was 16 at the time and a boarder at Ampleforth public school in North Yorkshire. The tragedy happened during the summer holidays and Dallaglio had also been invited to attend the party that night but declined because of a headache. Dallaglio has told how the possession he valued above all others was a small wooden chest full of possessions that belonged to Francesca. He told how the chest contained 'little treasures, like her diary, ballet shoes and jewellery'. In an interview in 2011 Dallaglio said: 'Losing a member of one's family is a terrible thing, particularly for us, having been very close-knit. I became quite driven after that. 'I thought: "I now actually need to pull my finger out and do something that's going to bring everyone together."' While rugby had just been a hobby up until then, Dallaglio - the son of an Italian father and an English-born mother of Irish descent - had already enjoyed a colourful childhood. Before Ampleforth Dallaglio attended private King's House School in Richmond where, as a 12-year-old chorister, he sang at Andrew Lloyd Webber 's wedding and provided backing vocals for Tina Turner's 1985 smash hit We Don't Need Another Hero. He also backed performances by Barry Manilow and appeared onstage in the West End in the Lloyd Webber musical Evita. After retiring from the game in 2008, he has also worked as an after dinner speaker alongside his TV and radio punditry. He set up his own charity Dallaglio RugbyWorks following the death of his mother Eileen from cancer in 2008. After some initial huge success, Dallaglio refocused the charity on a social inclusion programme, aiming to help teenagers who have been excluded from mainstream education. He has also taken part in several physical challenges, including cycling events, and has raised millions of pounds in the process. Already an MBE, he was also awarded an OBE in 2008 for his contribution to sport and charity. Despite his controversies, Dallaglio has insisted that he had never been happier than the time spent at his Richmond home with his family. He once told how he would end his 'fantasy 24 hours' drinking champagne with Alice there. The couple often hosted dinner parties at the house where Dallaglio - author of My Italian Family Cookbook - would rustle up dishes inspired by his father. As Dallaglio faces rebuilding his life, neighbours told of their sadness as the couple had become much loved members of the local community. One said: 'They have been here for years, and we have watched them raise their three children in the house, it's such a shame to see them go.'
Powys County Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Challenge Cup victory can start golden era for Bath, says Dallaglio
An EPCR Challenge Cup victory can be the springboard to a golden era as Lawrence Dallaglio knows only too well – making Bath's trip to Cardiff this Friday a huge opportunity. Finn Russell and co will hope to bring home the second part of a treble when they take on French side Lyon in the Challenge Cup final at Principality Stadium, live on Premier Sports 1, with a Premiership Rugby Cup victory having already ended Bath's 17-year wait for silverware. They are also heavy favourites to take the Gallagher Premiership crown that narrowly escaped them last season, having already clinched top spot and underlined their position with a thumping win over second-placed Leicester Tigers at the weekend. For Dallaglio, who is part of a 15-strong Premier Sports TV punditry team delivering the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup for Premier Sports, the new broadcasters of international club rugby's premier competitions, feels the Final gives Bath a chance to exorcise some demons from last year's heart-breaking Premiership final loss to Northampton Saints. That day, even after Beno Obano's first-half red card, they were only denied by a late Alex Mitchell try. And former England and Wasps No.8 Dallaglio recalled how victory in the Challenge Cup back in 2002 – coincidentally against Bath – was the catalyst for his club's extended run of success. He said: 'I hate constantly making parallels with my own playing career. But when Wasps embarked on our golden period of success, it all started with the Challenge Cup final. 'Ironically, it was a fixture against Bath in the final that kicked us off. We won that and then went on to win our first Premiership final against Gloucester as well. 'Bath have targeted the Premiership and been the front-runners all season, they have been outstanding in terms of their consistency, but this is a golden opportunity for them to get another trophy in the cabinet. And for them to prove themselves that they are capable of winning these things. 'Having the better team for most of last year's final, even being down to 14 men, they still missed out. They will want to rectify that and win this. If you are going to go on and win the Premiership, there is value in these sorts of games in giving you the confidence that you have got what it takes to win the one-off knockout occasions.' They face a Lyon team that has plenty of star power, including standout Georgian full-back Davit Niniashvili, while they beat Owen Farrell's Racing 92 in the semi-finals. But fresh from a pair of league defeats that has hurt their chances of reaching the Top 14 play-offs, Dallaglio believes that Bath rightly go into the game as favourites, particularly with the proximity of the Welsh capital to the Rec. He added: 'Whenever you take on a French side on a neutral ground away from France, you fancy your chances. The fact it is in Cardiff, and Lyon coming off the back of two defeats, I fancy Bath to be strong favourites. 'For me it feels like a home game – for Bath and Northampton (who play Bordeaux-Bègles in the Investec Champions Cup final on Saturday, also live on Premier Sports 1). They have got to take full advantage of that. They will feel more comfortable than their opponents.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawrence Dallaglio declared bankrupt
Lawrence Dallaglio has been declared bankrupt, it can be revealed. Telegraph Sport has been told that a bankruptcy order was made against the Rugby World Cup-winning forward on May 8. That was two days after the prospect of such an order being issued against Dallaglio was raised during an Insolvency and Companies Court (ICC) hearing. Dallaglio averted financial ruin two years ago by agreeing to pay off debts that included £700,000 in unpaid tax. As revealed by Telegraph Sport, the ICC hearing had been triggered by an application to the court by Dallaglio's estranged wife, Alice, for an 'urgent' order allowing the immediate £2.7 million sale of the former couple's Richmond home. She was said to have done so in the hope of staving off the imminent threat of Dallaglio being forced into bankruptcy by one of his creditors. Telegraph Sport has been told it was one of those creditors who ultimately secured the bankruptcy order. A spokesperson for Dallaglio declined to comment. The 52-year-old was previously the subject of a bankruptcy petition by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which it withdrew in September 2023 after saying he had reached an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) – a binding agreement to pay off his debts. That IVA is now listed on the Individual Insolvency Register as having 'failed' last Tuesday. Dallaglio's financial plight has been well-documented in recent years. As well as narrowly averting being made bankrupt in 2023, his company, Lawrence Dallaglio Limited, previously faced a winding-up petition from HM Revenue and Customs over an unpaid tax bill. He opted to liquidate the company, since when a report into its financial affairs for the year ending October 2024 stated that he was still being chased for hundreds of thousands of pounds loaned to the firm. Dallaglio is not the only former England star – nor member of their 2003 World Cup winning team – to face financial ruin. Phil Vickery had a request to be made bankrupt granted in February last year after reportedly racking up debts to HMRC and others totalling six figures. Meanwhile, Telegraph Sport revealed in March that a bankruptcy petition against Ugo Monye had been withdrawn after HMRC said it was unable to find him to serve it. Upon announcing his retirement from rugby in 2008, Dallaglio told the Financial Times: 'I think one has a responsibility to ensure that the taxman does not get everything.' The May 6 hearing before Deputy ICC Judge Stephen Baister centred on an urgent application lodged four days earlier by Alice Dallaglio for an order allowing the immediate sale of the home she shared with her husband for almost a quarter of a century. She was represented at the hearing by Craig Parrett, a director at Isadore Goldman specialising in personal and corporate insolvency. Parrett told the court: 'The completion of the property's set for tomorrow and all the parties are keen to ensure that completion can proceed for the benefit of the first respondent's [Dallaglio's] creditors.' Parrett said the sale price of the property was 'about £2.7 million' but that equity in the home was only 'around £1.2 million'. The sale price appeared to reflect the urgency of cashing in on a property which had been put on the market last year for £3.3 million, more than three times its 2001 purchase cost. Parrett told Judge Baister on Tuesday that the conveyancing solicitors acting on the sale of the Dallaglio family home had 'agreed to hold the net sale proceeds'. He added: 'If a bankruptcy order is made, the net sale proceeds will be provided to a trustee. If the bankruptcy order is not made, they'll be provided to the IVA supervisor.' Judge Baister told Parrett he would prioritise the application pending minor modifications. Telegraph Sport has been told the order was subsequently granted. Dallaglio, who was filming with TNT Sports that day, was represented at the hearing by executive assistant Anna Bathurst, who spoke only to convey his apologies for being unable to attend 'due to work'. The Dallaglios are currently going through divorce proceedings after deciding to end their 20-year marriage. They have three children together: Enzo, Ella and Josie. Dallaglio stepped down as England captain in 1999 shortly after allegations emerged that he had used hard drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy, while celebrating the Lions' victory in South Africa two years earlier. He denied the allegations, insisting the newspaper that reported the claims had been involved in an 'elaborate set-up'. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Lawrence Dallaglio declared bankrupt
Telegraph Sport has been told it was one of those creditors who ultimately secured the bankruptcy order. A spokesperson for Dallaglio declined to comment. The 52-year-old was previously the subject of a bankruptcy petition by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), which it withdrew in September 2023 after saying he had reached an 'individual voluntary arrangement' (IVA) – a binding agreement to pay off his debts. That IVA is now listed on the Individual Insolvency Register as having 'failed' last Tuesday. Dallaglio's financial plight has been well-documented in recent years. As well as narrowly averting being made bankrupt in 2023, his company, Lawrence Dallaglio Limited, previously faced a winding-up petition from HM Revenue & Customs over an unpaid tax bill. He opted to liquidate the company, since when a report into its financial affairs for the year ending October 2024 stated that he was still being chased for hundreds of thousands of pounds loaned to the firm. Dallaglio is not the only former England star – nor member of their 2003 World Cup winning team – to face financial ruin. Phil Vickery had a request to be made bankrupt granted in February last year after reportedly racking up debts to HMRC and others totalling six figures. Meanwhile, Telegraph Sport revealed in March that a bankruptcy petition against Ugo Monye had been withdrawn after HMRC said it was unable to find him to serve it. Upon announcing his retirement from rugby in 2008, Dallaglio told the Financial Times: 'I think one has a responsibility to ensure that the taxman does not get everything.' The May 6 hearing before Deputy ICC Judge Stephen Baister centred on an urgent application lodged four days earlier by Alice Dallaglio for an order allowing the immediate sale of the home she shared with her husband for almost a quarter of a century. She was represented at the hearing by Craig Parrett, a director at Isadore Goldman specialising in personal and corporate insolvency. Parrett told the court: 'The completion of the property's set for tomorrow and all the parties are keen to ensure that completion can proceed for the benefit of the first respondent's [Dallaglio's] creditors.' Parrett said the sale price of the property was 'about £2.7m' but that equity in the home was only 'around £1.2m'. The sale price appeared to reflect the urgency of cashing in on a property which had been put on the market last year for £3.3m, more than three times its 2001 purchase cost. Parrett told Judge Baister on Tuesday that the conveyancing solicitors acting on the sale of the Dallaglio family home had 'agreed to hold the net sale proceeds'. He added: 'If a bankruptcy order is made, the net sale proceeds will be provided to a trustee. If the bankruptcy order is not made, they'll be provided to the IVA supervisor.' Judge Baister told Parrett he would prioritise the application pending minor modifications. Telegraph Sport has been told the order was subsequently granted. Dallaglio, who was filming with TNT Sports that day, was represented at the hearing by executive assistant Anna Bathurst, who spoke only to convey his apologies for being unable to attend 'due to work'. The Dallaglios are currently going through divorce proceedings after deciding to end their 20-year marriage. They have three children together: Enzo, Ella and Josie. Dallaglio stepped down as England captain in 1999 shortly after allegations emerged that he had used hard drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy, while celebrating the Lions' victory in South Africa two years earlier.
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Dallaglio's wife tries to save him from bankruptcy by selling £2.7m home
The wife of former England Rugby Union star Lawrence Dallaglio is racing to sell the couple's £2.7million home in order to save him from a potential bankruptcy order Lawrence Dallaglio's wife is trying to sell their £2.7million house in a bid to shield her husband from bankruptcy. As reported by Telegraph Sport, Alice Dallaglio took steps at the High Court on Friday, seeking a validation order that would permit the immediate disposal of the couple's Richmond abode, where they lived for nearly a quarter of a century. The sale comes amid divorce proceedings between the duo, who have been wed for 20 years. The former Rugby Union legend faces the grim possibility of bankruptcy, a subject brought into focus during an Insolvency and Companies Court hearing on Tuesday. At 52, Lawrence narrowly sidestepped financial ruin two years ago, clearing debts which tallied up to £700,000 in unsettled taxes. Once on the brink of bankruptcy due to a petition from HM Revenue and Customs, he was able to shake off the threat in 2023 after engaging in an individual voluntary arrangement, reports Wales Online. In court, Craig Parrett, a director at Isadore Goldman representing Alice, said: "The completion of the property's set for tomorrow and all the parties are keen to ensure that completion can proceed for the benefit of the first respondent's [Dallaglio's] creditors." Despite the home being tagged at around £2.7m, Parrett went on to clarify that the true equity stood at approximately £1.2m – the inflated sale price potentially signalling the urgency to generate funds. Parrett added: "If a bankruptcy order is made, the net sale proceeds will be provided to a trustee. "If the bankruptcy order is not made, they'll be provided to the IVA supervisor." ICC judge Stephen Baister said that the application would be made a priority with some minor tweaks, saying: "Get it in quickly enough. "I'm sitting in the afternoon and I'll certainly get it done." The order was reportedly approved. News surfaced in February that the couple, parents to three children named Enzo, Ella, and Josie, were filing for divorce. They both appeared at Central Family Court in Holborn to negotiate a final settlement. Regarded as one of the legends of English rugby, Lawrence earned distinction with four Six Nations titles, five Triple Crowns, and a World Cup. He also spent the duration of his 18-year club career with Wasps. Following his retirement at the close of the 2008 season, Dallaglio has been actively involved in charity work and participated in various cycling challenges. In 2018, he launched the first Dallaglio Cycle Slam, which has since become an annual event aimed at raising funds for disadvantaged young people in need of assistance.
