Steve Thompson’s former England team-mate Phil Vickery has shared a heartbreaking update on the 2003 Rugby World Cup winner, revealing the former hooker is now “too poorly” to speak to many of the teammates he once called brothers.
The emotional comments came during an in-depth interview with The Observer’s Ben Coles, which explores Vickery’s own neurological struggles and the devastating impact brain injuries continue to have on former rugby players.
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‘I told him I loved him’
Thompson, who has previously spoken publicly about living with early-onset dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), remains one of rugby’s most high-profile concussion cases.
Vickery revealed he has repeatedly tried to make contact with his former front-row partner but has struggled to get through.
“I went to war with him, one of my brothers, and he won’t speak to me because he’s too f***ing poorly,” Vickery told The Observer.
“For his honour and pride, he won’t speak to me. I told him I loved him this morning again, you know? And that upsets me because we should be helping him more regardless of whether rugby caused it or not.
“He’s suffering, so why are we not helping him?”
The comments offer another sobering reminder of the human cost of rugby’s concussion crisis.
Fresh developments in the concussion lawsuit
Thompson and Vickery are among more than 1,100 former players involved in legal action against World Rugby, the RFU, the WRU and the Rugby Football League, alleging the governing bodies failed to adequately protect players from neurological injuries. The organisations continue to deny liability.
The long-running case has taken another twist in recent days after the governing bodies asked the court to strike out the claims, alleging the players’ legal team failed to comply with court orders relating to medical records. Several of the leading claimants have also changed legal representation as the case continues.
Read the full interview
Vickery’s comments form part of a powerful feature by Ben Coles in The Observer, which also details the former England captain’s own battle with probable CTE and the daily challenges he now faces. It is a remarkable and deeply moving read that shines a light on the ongoing struggles faced by many members of England’s 2003 World Cup-winning squad.
Editors Picks:
2003 Rugby World Cup Team of the Tournament: Where are they now?
From coaching and broadcasting to business and charity work, this is where those World Cup heroes are now.
15 Mils Muliaina (New Zealand)
All Blacks full-back Mils Muliaina finished the 2003 Rugby World Cup as the tournament’s joint-leading try scorer, crossing for seven tries alongside team-mate Doug Howlett.
Dangerous whenever he had the ball in hand, he was one of New Zealand’s standout performers throughout the competition.
Among his highlights was a stunning individual try against Tonga, while he also ran in four against Canada. His performances suggested he would become New Zealand’s long-term solution at full-back, a prediction that proved entirely accurate.
Muliaina represented New Zealand from 2003 until retiring after the 2011 Rugby World Cup. During that tournament, he became only the second All Black to reach 100 Test caps, achieving the milestone in the quarter-final against Argentina.
He scored 33 tries for his country during an illustrious international career. Today, Muliaina works as a mortgage adviser, serves as a panellist on Sky Sport New Zealand’s The Breakdown, and is also a public speaker.
14 Rupeni Caucaunibuca (Fiji)
BBC’s review of Caucau’s performances at the 2003 World Cup were as follows: “Seeing the Fijian flyer in action was strangely reminiscent of Jonah Lomu in his prime. The only caveat to Caucau’s World Cup appearance was that it was all too brief, as Fiji failed to qualify from the pool stages.
“He was on fire from the very outset, sprinting in a 70-metre solo spectacular against France before being banned for two games for a punch on Olivier Magne.
“Thankfully, Caucau returned for the final game against Scotland and was at his prolific best once more with a further two tries.”
Despite possessing world-class talent, Caucaunibuca never fully fulfilled his immense potential. His career was repeatedly disrupted by disciplinary issues, including a one-year ban from Fiji after missing a match in Samoa. Those off-field problems ultimately overshadowed what could have been one of rugby’s greatest careers.
At club level, he enjoyed significant success, finishing as the Top 14’s leading scorer with Agen and later winning the prestigious Bouclier de Brennus with Toulouse in 2011 while serving as a medical joker.
However, life after rugby proved difficult. Speaking in the 2019 documentary Oceans Apart, Caucaunibuca revealed he had been living in poverty in his remote village of Nasau since ending his playing career with Agen in 2014.
He admitted that much of his earnings had been spent on alcohol and supporting friends and family, leaving him with, in his own words, ‘had nothing left’.
In 2023, RugbyPass reported that he was farming crops and spearfishing to survive. At times, he reportedly struggled to find the ten Fijian dollars (£3.55) needed to fuel his boat.
13 Stirling Mortlock (Australia)
Stirling Mortlock was one of Australia’s key figures during their run to the 2003 World Cup final. Returning from shoulder surgery, he delivered a superb display in the semi-final against New Zealand, repeatedly troubling the All Blacks defence and causing England problems whenever the opportunity arose.
His try against New Zealand was a fitting reward after a lengthy rehabilitation process, and he played a major role in Australia’s victory. Although he was unable to replicate that level of influence in the final, his tournament remained highly impressive.
Mortlock went on to score more than 1,000 points in Super Rugby and almost 500 Test points for the Wallabies. He also captained Australia, the Brumbies and the Melbourne Rebels during a distinguished career.
Since retiring, Mortlock has moved into the business world and now serves as Capital Lead and Founding Partner of XV, which describes itself as “Australasia’s leading sports innovation accelerator.”
12 Tony Marsh (France)
Tony Marsh’s 2003 World Cup story was one of remarkable determination. Earlier that year, the France centre had been diagnosed with testicular cancer, but after enduring months of chemotherapy he recovered sufficiently to return to international rugby and help France reach the semi-finals.
Marsh played his final Test for France in 2004, while his last appearance for Clermont came in the 2007 French Championship final against Stade Français. Clermont narrowly lost that match, although they did finish the season as European Challenge Cup winners.
Today, Marsh works as a buyers’ agent for a company specialising in property investment in Bali.
11 Lote Tuqiri (Australia)
Speaking about his inclusion in their team, the BBC said, “Tuqiri’s selection on the left wing was deemed a gamble not worth taking according to many of Australia’s critics.
“But the former league star proved his doubters wrong and was in superb form, always looking exciting on the attack as well as enjoying a superb rapport with both Mat Rogers and Wendell Sailor.”
Tuqiri went on to enjoy a distinguished dual-code career, representing Australia in both rugby league and rugby union, while also playing rugby league internationally for Fiji. He remains widely regarded as one of the finest code-switchers the sport has produced.
These days, Tuqiri works as an ambassador for Agri Labour Australia and Beach Rugby Australia. He is also a co-founder and board member of Hoozu, an influencer marketing agency that connects brands and talent through technology-driven solutions.
10 Jonny Wilkinson (England)
Few players in rugby history are more closely associated with a single moment than Jonny Wilkinson. It was fitting that England’s talisman provided the defining image of the tournament, landing his famous extra-time drop goal with virtually the last kick of the World Cup final.
Throughout the competition, Wilkinson dominated headlines in both England and Australia. Critics questioned England’s dependence on him, while supporters marvelled at his consistency and accuracy under pressure.
After 2003, Wilkinson battled numerous injuries but returned to help England reach another World Cup final in 2007. He also toured twice with the British & Irish Lions, visiting Australia in 2001 and New Zealand in 2005, earning six Lions caps.
He retired at the conclusion of the 2013-14 season and was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2016. Wilkinson now works as a studio pundit for ITV Sport, covering events including the Six Nations and Rugby World Cup.
9 Fabien Galthié (France)
Fabien Galthié brought his international career to a close following France’s semi-final defeat to England. Throughout the tournament, he was one of the game’s most reliable scrum-halves, providing leadership and direction while forming an excellent partnership with fly-half Frédéric Michalak.
His final club match was also one of his most memorable. Galthié won the only major club trophy of his playing career when Stade Français defeated Toulouse in the 2003 Top 14 final.
Since retiring, Galthié has enjoyed a highly successful coaching career with Stade Français, Montpellier and Toulon. He joined the France national setup as an assistant coach in 2019 before taking charge as head coach the following year.
Under his leadership, France secured a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2022. Further success followed with Six Nations titles in both 2025 and 2026.
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