Matt Dawson MBE
Matt Dawson was born on 31 October 1972 in Birkenhead.
As a youngster Matt was an all-round sportsman. He was wicket keeper for Buckinghamshire schools and played football for Chelsea Schoolboys at under 13/14 level. However, when he moved from Marlow to Northampton he turned to rugby.
Matt started his rugby playing career in 1991 with Northampton and gained his England debut against Western Samoa at Twickenham in December 1995. It was the first of many caps.
Dawson gained 77 including nine as captain (the most capped England scrum half).
As a youngster Matt was an all-round sportsman. He was wicket keeper for Buckinghamshire schools and played football for Chelsea Schoolboys at under 13/14 level. However, when he moved from Marlow to Northampton he turned to rugby.
Matt started his rugby playing career in 1991 with Northampton and gained his England debut against Western Samoa at Twickenham in December 1995. It was the first of many caps.
Dawson gained 77 including nine as captain (the most capped England scrum half).
England
Rugby
Legend
Matt Dawson and Jonny Wilkinson were the half-back partnership at the core of England's 2003 Grand Slam and World Cup victories, feats for which he was awarded an MBE.
Dawson was also selected for three Lions tours, and he won the Premiership with Wasps in the first season after his move from Northampton.
Matt's international career petered out after 2004 when he failed to attend training through business commitments. He was brought back into the squad in 2005 but failed to thrive.
The Times revealed that Matt Dawson was not everybody's favourite in the rugby world. They quote former South African captain Corne Krige: "I would have liked nothing more than to knock him out."
Matt Dawson moved from rugby to the world of the media, and has enjoyed similar success. A consummate all-rounder, He became a team captain on the BBC's A Question of Sport as well as a rugby pundit on Radio 5 live and the TV.
In 2006 he demonstrated his flair in the kitchen winning the title of Celebrity Masterchef, and later that same year, despite being tipped for early elimination, he made it to the final of Strictly Come Dancing, finishing as runner up.
In 2007, Matt ran the London Marathon and in 2008, he put his dancing shoes back on to finish runner-up again in Sport Relief Come Dancing.
A keen supporter of charitable causes, Matt posed naked in Cosmopolitan Magazine to raise awareness of Testicular Cancer.
In 2009 he was honoured to become a Unicef Ambassador.
Matt Dawson's hobbies include golf (handicap of 12 as at September 2006), snooker and walking his dogs.
Dawson was also selected for three Lions tours, and he won the Premiership with Wasps in the first season after his move from Northampton.
Matt's international career petered out after 2004 when he failed to attend training through business commitments. He was brought back into the squad in 2005 but failed to thrive.
The Times revealed that Matt Dawson was not everybody's favourite in the rugby world. They quote former South African captain Corne Krige: "I would have liked nothing more than to knock him out."
Matt Dawson moved from rugby to the world of the media, and has enjoyed similar success. A consummate all-rounder, He became a team captain on the BBC's A Question of Sport as well as a rugby pundit on Radio 5 live and the TV.
In 2006 he demonstrated his flair in the kitchen winning the title of Celebrity Masterchef, and later that same year, despite being tipped for early elimination, he made it to the final of Strictly Come Dancing, finishing as runner up.
In 2007, Matt ran the London Marathon and in 2008, he put his dancing shoes back on to finish runner-up again in Sport Relief Come Dancing.
A keen supporter of charitable causes, Matt posed naked in Cosmopolitan Magazine to raise awareness of Testicular Cancer.
In 2009 he was honoured to become a Unicef Ambassador.
Matt Dawson's hobbies include golf (handicap of 12 as at September 2006), snooker and walking his dogs.
