Lawrence Dallaglio to auction 2003 Rugby World Cup winners’ medal after bankruptcy

Lawrence Dallaglio’s 2003 Rugby World Cup winners’ medal is going to auction on 13 October, with an estimate of £50,000–£80,000. The planned sale puts one of the former England captain’s most prominent sporting awards among a wider collection of his memorabilia, following his public account of bankruptcy. The estimate is a guide for bidders; no sale price has been established.

BBC Sport reported the planned sale on 29 September. The auctioneer, BUDDS, lists the medal as lot 90 in its Octoberfest live auction, scheduled to begin at 11am on 13 October 2026. The catalogue names the Lawrence Dallaglio Collection as part of an event with more than 300 sporting memorabilia lots. The auction has not yet taken place.

What is in the sale

The World Cup winners’ medal carries the highest estimate among the Dallaglio lots shown in the catalogue. BUDDS also lists his 2007 Rugby World Cup runners-up medal at £5,000–£10,000. The two medals mark different outcomes in his international career, and the auctioneer has assigned separate estimates to each rather than a combined price.

Other international items listed include Dallaglio’s 1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens winners’ medal, estimated at £1,000–£1,500, and a British and Irish Lions cap estimated at £3,500–£5,500. An England international cap has a £3,000–£5,000 estimate. The catalogue also includes a Lions training shirt from the 1997 tour to South Africa, estimated at £1,500–£2,000.

BBC Sport reports an estimated value of £180,000 for the collection as a whole. That figure, like the estimates attached to individual lots, is a pre-sale assessment rather than proceeds from the auction. Whether every item sells, the final hammer prices and the identity of any buyers will only become clear after bidding.

Dallaglio’s account of bankruptcy

BBC Sport reported that Dallaglio discussed his bankruptcy during an appearance on The High Performance Podcast earlier in September. It quoted him saying: ‘As a result of getting divorced, I was made bankrupt.’ He also said he had experienced financial problems and added: ‘I could’ve done things a lot better.’

According to the BBC, Dallaglio also said he sought therapy after his divorce and bankruptcy left him in what he called ‘self-pity’. His comments provide his account of that period. Neither the account reported by the BBC nor the auction catalogue establishes that he is legally required to sell the medal or says where the proceeds will go.

What happens next

Prospective bidders can arrange to view the lots by appointment at BUDDS’ Wellingborough auction room, according to the auctioneer. BUDDS says it also accepts requests for condition reports and additional photographs before the sale. It advises bidders to satisfy themselves about a lot’s condition and description before placing a bid.

The auctioneer says it does not issue certificates of authenticity itself; where a vendor supplies one, its details appear in the individual lot description. BUDDS also states that a buyer’s premium of 25% of the hammer price, plus VAT, applies. Internet surcharges and shipping costs may add to a purchaser’s bill, depending on how they bid and receive an item.

For now, the published facts are the catalogue listing, the scheduled auction and the estimates. BUDDS’ lot 90 offers bidders Dallaglio’s 2003 medal on 13 October, while BBC Sport’s report records his explanation of his bankruptcy. The price, any buyer and the fate of the medal remain open until the auction is held.