2003 Rugby World Cup hero Phil Vickery was once a formidable force tipping the scales nearly 20 stone on the field.
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Known for his talent as a tighthead prop and formidable scrummager, Vickery was also a brutal scrummager and a powerful ball carrier.
It’s been 14 years since she hung up her boots, and Vickery has been making headlines for her amazing body transformation. The stomach from his playing days is long gone and he is in the best shape of his life.
In a recent photo from the gym, the former England star showed off his impressive physique and opened up about the journey behind his transformation. “We’ve been thinking for over two years now to get him in the best shape of his life to celebrate the 20th anniversary of winning the Rugby World Cup,” Vickery revealed.
He described the process as “an interesting journey full of ups and downs,” but emphasized his love for the experience and the support he received. He thanked his mentors and supporters for their “camaraderie, positive energy, smiles, and thumbs up to do some cardio at 5 a.m. in the freezing cold.”
Mr Vickery encouraged his followers with an encouraging message: “Have an idea, make a plan and get it done, team.”
This surprising transformation comes more than a decade after Vickery won the 2011 Celebrity MasterChef Awards, where judges praised his cooking as “very special” and acknowledged his “serious” talent. It happened later. After his culinary triumphs, he branched out into the restaurant business and established ‘No.3’ in Cheltenham, which unfortunately closed in the face of post-COVID-19 challenges.
Some of England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup heroes look very different now.
Sir Clive Woodward’s England side lifted their first, and so far only, William Webb Ellis Trophy in 2003 with Jonny Wilkinson’s drop goal in extra time.
Woodward’s side remain the only Northern Hemisphere team to win the World Cup, with South Africa (four times), New Zealand (three times) and Australia (two times) winning the other nine tournaments.
In a video posted by England Rugby’s Instagram account, Wilkinson, who scored the all-important drop goal with 28 seconds remaining, said: “It’s great to be back with the whole squad after 20 years.”
“It’s great to see everyone and get a feel for what everyone’s been up to, but I think it’s also going to give you a sense of why we were able to do what we did 20 years ago, because it’s still very much alive.” . ‘
Let’s take a look at how some of the major players are doing now.
Jonny Wilkinson
Wilkinson, known for his iconic drop goal that secured victory against Australia in the 2003 final, moved into a coaching role at Toulon after his retirement, focusing on kicking and skill development. He currently also works as a commentator for ITV Sport during the Rugby World Cup and Six Nations.
Will Greenwood
Greenwood continued to excel on the international stage after his 2003 glory, and represented the British and Irish Lions on a tour of New Zealand in 2005. After finishing his career with the Harlequins in 2006, he immediately gave his opinion based on his experience through his analysis and commentary. Greenwood co-hosted the TV series School of Hard Knocks with former Wales international Scott Quinnell, and was the on-screen commentator for ITV during England’s run to the 2007 Rugby World Cup final.
Will is also exploring opportunities away from rugby and is currently Chief Customer Officer for data and software company Affinity’s London office. Tragedy struck Greenwood’s family after her son Freddie died just 45 minutes after birth. The former England center took a moving walk to the North Pole in memory of his son and helped raise more than £750,000 for Born research. Mr Greenwood is a patron of Bourne, a medical research charity that deals with cases of premature birth. He is also a patron of Child Bereavement UK, a charity supporting parents who have lost a child.