JONNO PACKS DOWN WITH WAR HEROES IN £1M GAME
Martin Johnson, the England manager, retired from playing rugby in 2005 two years after lifting the World Cup, but the 38-year-old lock strapped his knees up one last time on Saturday in a charity match which also featured former Lions Lawrence Dallaglio, Will Greenwood, Scott Gibbs, Richard Hill and Jason Robinson.
A crowd of over 52,000 cheered as Dallaglio's Help For Heroes XV, made up of English greats, some U-20 internationals and servicemen, defeated Gibbs's International Select XV 29-10, and raised £1m for Headley Court, a Tri Services rehabilitation centre in Surrey.
Johnson, who played for 32 second-half minutes, said: "It was a very special day and emotional. The players did the occasion justice and everyone was fully committed.
"It was for a great cause, and while it was a charity game I think everyone had the same idea: you can't go into the game, when we are raising money for that cause when 52,000 supporters have come, to mess around."
Captain Robert Sugden of the Coldstream Guards returned from action in Afghanistan and had the privilege of packing down in the second row with Johnson. "It was an incredible experience, a boyhood dream," The 6ft 7in 27-year-old said.
"I only started playing rugby at university and if someone had told me then that in five or six year's time I would be packing down with Martin, Lawrence, Richard Hill and Mark Regan, I would have told them that they were a maniac! They were very generous with their time, knowledge and tactical nous. The game was excellent for the cause and very unique and moving."
Martin Johnson, the England manager, retired from playing rugby in 2005 two years after lifting the World Cup, but the 38-year-old lock strapped his knees up one last time on Saturday in a charity match which also featured former Lions Lawrence Dallaglio, Will Greenwood, Scott Gibbs, Richard Hill and Jason Robinson.
A crowd of over 52,000 cheered as Dallaglio's Help For Heroes XV, made up of English greats, some U-20 internationals and servicemen, defeated Gibbs's International Select XV 29-10, and raised £1m for Headley Court, a Tri Services rehabilitation centre in Surrey.
Johnson, who played for 32 second-half minutes, said: "It was a very special day and emotional. The players did the occasion justice and everyone was fully committed.
"It was for a great cause, and while it was a charity game I think everyone had the same idea: you can't go into the game, when we are raising money for that cause when 52,000 supporters have come, to mess around."
Captain Robert Sugden of the Coldstream Guards returned from action in Afghanistan and had the privilege of packing down in the second row with Johnson. "It was an incredible experience, a boyhood dream," The 6ft 7in 27-year-old said.
"I only started playing rugby at university and if someone had told me then that in five or six year's time I would be packing down with Martin, Lawrence, Richard Hill and Mark Regan, I would have told them that they were a maniac! They were very generous with their time, knowledge and tactical nous. The game was excellent for the cause and very unique and moving."
Labels: England, Martin Johnson, rugby union
