England World Cup winner Lawrence Dallaglio has shared the heartbreaking news that his father, Vincenzo Dallaglio, has passed away.<\/p>\n
Join the\u00a0RUCK\u2019s WhatsApp community here<\/a>\u00a0and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.<\/p>\n The former England captain confirmed the sad news on Christmas Day, revealing that his father died peacefully following a long battle with dementia. Vincenzo was 91.<\/p>\n Taking to social media, Dallaglio paid a touching tribute to the man he called \u201cPapa\u201d and \u201cNonno\u201d, describing him as humble, wise and devoted to his family.<\/p>\n \u201cMy Papa Vincenzo Dallaglio, our Nonno, passed away peacefully this week after a long battle with dementia,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cThinking of anyone missing someone they love this Christmas. He was an unassuming, humble and wise Italian man who worked so hard all his life to give me, Francesca and Eileen every chance to shine.\u201d<\/p>\n Dallaglio added that while his father was not originally a rugby fan, he grew into one over the years \u2013 even if he struggled to get a word in when sitting next to his wife during matches.<\/p>\n \u201cAt 91 Vincenzo truly lived a life and even became a rugby fan along the way, although he never managed to get a word in edgeways when he sat next to my mum Eileen when watching any match!<\/p>\n He is now on his way to join Eileen and Francesca. Rest easy Papa. Rest easy Nonno.\u201d<\/p>\n Dallaglio\u2019s mother Eileen passed away in 2012, while his sister Francesca tragically died aged just 19 in the Marchioness disaster in 1989. The Thames tragedy claimed 51 lives and had a profound impact on the former England skipper, who was just 16 at the time.<\/p>\n The 2003 Rugby World Cup winner has previously spoken movingly about his parents\u2019 journey to the UK and their life in East London.<\/p>\n \u201cMy father was Italian by birth and came over to England in the Fifties,\u201d he once said. \u201cHe only planned to stay a short time, but then he met my mother.<\/p>\n \u201cThey ran a sweet shop in Bethnal Green. It was a tough way to earn a living, but it was a real community back then \u2013 everyone still had a smile on their face.\u201d<\/p>\n Dallaglio also spoke proudly of his heritage, adding:<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got 44 first cousins. Half-Irish, half-Italian makes you quite a dangerous Englishman. I\u2019m proud of my roots, even though I\u2019ve always felt English.\u201d<\/p>\n Dallaglio was a central figure in England\u2019s historic 2003 World Cup triumph and remains one of the most recognisable figures in the sport.<\/p>\n EDITORS PICKS:<\/p>\n Former teammates offer support to bankrupt 2003 Rugby World Cup star<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a look at five ex-Red Rose stars whose lives have taken a tough turn off the pitch, including THREE 2003 Rugby World Cup winners.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udd34 JAMES HASKELL<\/p>\n Former England star James Haskell is deep in financial trouble<\/p>\n Court documents reveal he\u2019s locked in a legal dispute with his landlord over damage to property and equipment linked to his failed gym business.<\/p>\n The ex-back rower, 40, launched a F45 gym in Bath back in 2017\u2014but the venture couldn\u2019t survive the pandemic. Now, his company\u00a0Hask 45 (Bath) Ltd\u00a0is nearly \u00a31 million in the red.<\/p>\n According to the latest filings, the business is battling a legal claim over unpaid rent and costly repairs, with \u00a3927,738 in total liabilities\u2014\u00a3437,000 of which is owed to another of Haskell\u2019s own companies.<\/p>\n Big plans to expand the gym chain to London and Manchester were scrapped after COVID hit.\u00a0Hask 45 (Manchester) Ltdclosed in March 2021, while\u00a0Hask 45 (Richmond) Ltd\u00a0followed in September 2022.<\/p>\n Another of his companies,\u00a0Hask 45 Ltd, has also filed debts of \u00a3456,367 as of May 2024.<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t stop there\u2014two of Haskell\u2019s other sports-related businesses are also in the red.\u00a0James Haskell Health & Fitness Ltd\u00a0is down \u00a358,318, and\u00a0Rugby Connections UK Ltd\u00a0is \u00a368,855 in debt.<\/p>\n All told, the former Wasps and England man is facing a combined \u00a31.5 million debt pile across four firms.<\/p>\n CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO<\/a><\/p>\n Like this:<\/p>\n Like Loading…<\/p>\n