Phil Vickery, a key member of England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning squad, was declared bankrupt earlier this year.
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The former tighthead-prop, who played in all seven matches during England’s victorious campaign in Australia, has been struggling with significant debts.
Vickery, who began his career at Gloucester before moving to Wasps, reportedly applied for bankruptcy through a debtor’s petition in February, as reported by the Daily Mail. His management consultancy firm, Vix Limited, is now in liquidation with debts amounting to £97,806.
Vix Limited also owes HMRC £71,000 in VAT and PAYE and National Insurance payments. On 21 February, the Office of the Adjudicator granted Vickery’s bankruptcy request, and he stepped down from four businesses by that date.
Insolvency Service documents reveal that Vickery will remain bankrupt for 12 months until February next year. On the day his bankruptcy was confirmed, Vickery resigned as a director of another management consultancy, Killock Limited.
In January, Vickery had already stepped down from his roles at Raging Bull Group Limited and Creed Food Service Limited. Additionally, his consultancy firm Spring Star Consulting was dissolved last year after less than two years of operation, without filing any accounts. Phil Vickery Holdings Limited was also closed in 2023 after three years, having only filed dormant accounts.
In a related note, Vickery’s former England teammate Lawrence Dallaglio recently had a bankruptcy petition against him dismissed. The petition, lodged by HMRC, was dismissed last September after a voluntary agreement was reached, settling his £700,000 tax debt. The judge expressed relief, noting, “I am pleased that that ends this saga.”
What England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup heroes look like now, some are very different
Sir Clive Woodward’s England lifted the William Webb Ellis trophy for the first – and so far only – time in 2003, after a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal in extra time.
Woodward’s side are still the only northern hemisphere side to win the World Cup, with the other nine tournaments won by South Africa (four), New Zealand (three) and Australia (two).
In a video posted by England Rugby’s Instagram account, Wilkinson – who scored the all important drop goal 28 seconds from time – said: ‘It’s great being back with all the guys from the squad 20 years on.
‘It’s great to be able to see everyone, and to get a feel of what everyone’s been up to, but also to I guess get a feel for why we were able to do what we did 20 years ago, because it still lives on in everyone.’
Take a look at how some of the key players look now:
Phil Vickery
A former Gloucester and London Wasps prop, Phil Vickery called time on his career at the end of the 2010 Premiership season. The two-time British & Irish Lion was a revered opponent across the world, and has since started a successful clothing brand ‘Raging Bull’, with his on-field nickname. Vickery was forced into retirement due to a series of neck injuries, and in 2012 he joined Worcester Warriors as their Scrum Coach.
Vickery has also tried his hand at sports broadcasting, as he was apart of the commentary team for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. His on-screen appearances have also been witnessed across a variety of TV shows, including ‘Celebrity MasterChef’, which he won in 2011. An eternal fan favourite at Kingsholm Stadium, Vickery was appointed the title of Deputy Lieutenant of Gloucestershire in 2015.
Jonny Wilkinson
Renowned for his iconic drop-goal that secured victory against Australia in the 2003 final, Wilkinson transitioned into a coaching role with Toulon, focusing on kicking and skills development following his retirement. He also now works as a pundit for ITV Sport during Rugby World Cup’s and the Six Nations.
Will Greenwood
Greenwood continued to shine on the international stage following the 2003 glory, and went on to represent the British & Irish Lions for their 2005 tour to New Zealand. He ended his career at Harlequins in 2006, and soon gave his experienced views through analysis and punditry. Greenwood co-hosted the ‘School of Hard Knocks’ TV series with former Wales international Scott Quinnell, and was an on-screen analyst for ITV as England reached the final of the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Will has also explored opportunities away from rugby, and is the current Chief Customer Officer for data and software company Afiniti’s London office. Greenwood’s family was struck with tragedy, after his son Freddie died just 45 minutes after being born. The former England centre underwent an inspirational walk to the North Pole in memory of his son, and helped to raise over £750,000 for Borne’s research. Greenwood is a patron of Borne, who are a medical research charity that work with cases of premature birth. He is also a patron of Child Bereavement UK, which is a charity that support parents who have lost a child.