The End of an Era: Lawrence Dallaglio Ends Historic Career In Style

What a career Lawrence Bruno Nero Dallaglio has had. And what a name as well!

With a name like that, he was destined for greatness. He has propelled himself to be considered among the greatest number eights of all time.

He was an iconic captain for the most successful team in English Rugby Union history, and a former England captain, only forced to step down after a newspaper scandal.

The near 18st behemoth has been putting in dedicated and committed displays for club and country for almost 20 years now, and has remained loyal to the London Wasps throughout his career.

In those years, he has amassed enough winner's medals to weigh even him down. He has won five Premiership titles, including three in succession between 2002 and 2005.

He is also a three-time winner of the RFU Cup, one time winner of the Challenge Cup, which is the equivalent to the UEFA Cup in football, and two-time winner of the Heineken Cup, the equivalent of the Champions League.

As well as being such a decorated club player, he has won trophies at International level too. He has experienced six nations success four times, and is a two-time World Cup finalist, winning one of them.

He has therefore won every single trophy that a top-flight Northern Hemisphere player can win. Couple this with the fact that he has been on three tours with the British and Irish Lions, and you have a true legend of the game.

He has, like every sporting legend, suffered low points. Injuries and tabloid scandals have been included, but the highs of his career far outweigh the lows.

He made 85 appearances for England, scoring 85 points, over a 12-year international career. This makes him tied for second in England's most capped players list, level with Will Carling and behind Jason Leonard.

His try scoring tally of 16 also puts him as the equal ninth highest try scorer in England history, and the highest try scoring forward.

Today it all came to an end, in the best possible way. Unlike Martin Johnson and Neil Back, this legend's final game was a trophy winning game, as they beat Leicester 26-16 to win the Guinness Premiership title.

So to Lawrence Dallaglio, I say thank you, and good luck with life. You've been a true legend to the game!