ENGLAND World Cup-winning rugby hero Lawrence Dallaglio is fighting a bankruptcy claim, The Sun can reveal.
The taxman has lodged a case against the 50-year-old pitch legend at London’s High Court.
Court papers show HMRC officials filed a case against the former England captain, who won 85 caps, on Tuesday.
Dallaglio, part of the team which beat hosts Australia in the 2003 World Cup final, said he was “aware” of the claim.
Speaking outside his £3.5million home in Richmond, South West London, he said: “It’s all OK. There’s nothing to worry about. I’ve got someone dealing with it.”
Back row star Dallaglio remains one of England’s greatest rugby union stars.
He won the Six Nations Championship four times, five Premiership titles for Wasps and two Heineken Cups.
In 2008, a year after he retired, he told the Financial Times how he had made “my first million”.
He said: “I think one has a responsibility to ensure that the taxman does not get everything.”
He went on: “If you wanted to make money you wouldn’t play rugby.
“It has never been about money for me. In 2003 I had a benefit year, which raised more than £1million for charities.
“Professional rugby players earn around £60,000 a year. If you win the World Cup you might get the same amount again.”
HMRC does not comment on individual cases.
