Dallaglio ends distinguished career on perfect note

Retiring Wasps captain Lawrence Dallaglio said his team's 26-16 victory over Leicester in Saturday's Premiership final was the only way for him to bow out after almost two decades of service to club and country.

The 35-year-old former England captain, a member of the 2003 World Cup winning team, was given a standing ovation by both sets of fans in the record 81,600 Twickenham crowd when he left the action 12 minutes from time.

"It's the best way to finish, it's the only way to finish," he told Reuters.

"It was a special day. I've been fortunate to have a lot of them. Twickenham is a wonderful place and clearly Wasps enjoy it."

Dallaglio, who joined Wasps as a teenager after the death of his sister in the 1989 Marchioness boat disaster on the River Thames, said he had always felt at home at the club.

"I was amongst the right people, it was a special place and continues to be," he said.

"I was very wary that the final was about Wasps as a club and not about me. It was a wonderful team effort and wonderful squad effort.

"This win is testament to all the staff, players, coaches and fans of this great club. We're not blessed with the greatest of resources but we have heart and soul.

"I'm very proud of the team, we've had some great days in the last few years but given where we were after the World Cup, 10th in the table at Christmas, that was probably our greatest achievement."

Wasps director of rugby Ian McGeechan said: "Dallaglio is a fantastic example, he plays with emotion, he talks with it, he leads with it and it rubs off on the players.

"I never thought I'd see the day when Wasps fans outnumbered Leicester fans at Twickenham and I think that's because of Lawrence.

"I think a lot of people made a special effort to come today because of the man."