MY RUGBY WORLD

The England legend talks Denis Charvet, punditry and the magic of the Champions Cup

- WITH LAWRENCE DALLAGLIO

What's your earliest rugby memory?

Playing in an U9s tournament at Twickenham on the width of the pitch for King's House School. And scoring on the West Stand touchline. I thought, 'wow, one day I'd love to play here properly'. Years later, I was in the crowd for the England-France game where Philippe Saint-André scored that wondrous try (1991) but England won the Grand Slam. I was in the same West Stand watching, there was a lineout in front of me and the noise was so loud, the atmosphere so intense, and you could almost touch Brian Moore as he was throwing the ball in. He had to ask for the call three times because of the noise.

Who was your rugby hero? Dean Richards, Peter Winterbottom, Mike Teague, Mick Skinner were the gang I wanted to be involved in. I was drawn to the back row.

Do you have a match-day routine at Premier Sports? You're supposed to have one but then a snotty little press officer ruins it by saying you can't do this or do that! So you learn to be flexible.