Lawrence Dallaglio ‘involved in heated altercation’ as he squares up to fellow partygoer at Legends Of Rugby dinner
- The former rugby union player, 49, is said to have squared up to a fellow partygoer after being hit on the arm
- Do you know the fellow partygoer? Email [email protected]
Lawrence Dallaglio was pictured having a heated altercation with a fellow partygoer at the Nordoff Robbins Legends of Rugby dinner in London on Wednesday.
The former England captain, 49, was in the smoking area of the Grosvenor House Hotel when the incident occurred, with an eyewitness telling MailOnline that he squared up with another man after being struck on the arm.
They explained: ‘A man was seen at Lawrence’s arm as he made his way into the hotel, while Lawrence was seen going nose to nose with the guy, as shouting was heard.’
Tension: Lawrence Dallaglio was ‘involved in heated altercation’ as he squared up to a fellow partygoer at the Legends Of Rugby dinner in London on Wednesday
Images from the night showed a stony-faced Lawrence face to face with another reveller in the outside area – it is not known what caused the disagreement.
Tensions appeared to be running high in the evening, with a fight said to have broken out shortly afterwards – Lawrence was not involved in this altercation.
MailOnline has contacted Lawrence’s representatives for comment.
Earlier in the night, the rugby union player seemed in good spirits as he posed for snaps inside the event, which honoured Rochelle ‘Rocky’ Clark MBE and Jason Robinson OBE.
Also attending the ceremony was Love Island’s Sharon Gaffka, who looked worse-for-wear as she left in a taxi after a night of partying.
Struggle: The former England captain, 49, was in the smoking area of the Grosvenor House Hotel when the incident occurred
Awkward: An eyewitness told MailOnline that he squared up with another man after being struck on the arm
Lawrence is now widely known as one of the greatest players to ever feature in rugby union and went on to captain England.
During a long playing career spanning from 1990 to 2008, he amassed over 300 league appearances for Wasps, with 88 caps during a storied Test career.
He retired in 2008, finishing his final season in the game by winning the Premiership final with Wasps.
They explained: ‘A man was seen at Lawrence’s arm as he made his way into the hotel, while Lawrence was seen going nose to nose with the guy, as shouting was heard’
Tense: Images from the night showed a stony-faced Lawrence face to face with another reveller in the outside area
Lawrence, who now does regular punditry work with ITV, concluded his time in rugby with five league title medals, three Powergen cups, two Heineken cups and a World Cup winners’ medal.
Last year, Lawrence credited rugby with saving him following the tragic death of his sister in 1989.
Lawrence’s sister Francesca was one of around 130 people on board the Marchioness on the river Thames attending a party which ran into the small hours. The boat collided with another vessel which resulted in the deaths of 51 people.
Oh dear: Tensions appeared to be running high in the evening
All kicking off: Other people in the smoking area turned to see what the commotion was
Lawrence, who went on to become a national icon after winning the rugby World Cup with England in 2003, admits his initial reaction to living with grief was a bad one, and it threatened to put him on the wrong side of the tracks.
It was only until the opportunity to play rugby arose, however, that he finally found solace in something in which emotions could be invested.
He added: ‘First of all, I channelled my energies in a very different direction and I was getting into all sorts of trouble here, there and everywhere. And then I did something which changed the direction of my life – I decided to play rugby… it put its arms around me and gave me a support system, an extended family, to try and put some sense into all of this.
Chirpy: Earlier in the night, the rugby union player seemed in good spirits as he posed for snaps inside the event alongside Jonathan Davies and Jay Thornburn
Had a ball: Also attending the ceremony was Love Island’s Sharon Gaffka, who looked worse-for-wear as she left in a taxi after a night of partying
I joined Wasps at the age of 18 in 1990 and I did so because I needed to find some purpose and direction in my life – I was channelling my energies in the wrong direction.
‘I needed to do that to help my mother and father who were really struggling. And from the minute I walked in the door, Wasps, the club that I joined, gave me a real sense of belonging, of community, of family.
‘I felt spiritually I’d arrived in the right place. It was just about people putting their arms around you and that doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, you’re very welcome here. It really helped me to rehabilitate myself.’
Icon: Lawrence is now widely known as one of the greatest players to ever feature in rugby union and went on to captain England (pictured in 2001)
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