2003 Rugby World Cup winner Phil Vickery's insane body transformation

Rugby News
Friday, 25 September 2026 at 18:08
1
England legend Phil Vickery looks almost unrecognisable more than 20 years after helping England win the Rugby World Cup.
The former tighthead, nicknamed the ‘Raging Bull’, has undergone a remarkable body transformation since hanging up his boots.
Vickery revealed his weight eventually reached around 24 stone after retirement. He decided to make a change and threw himself into training, dropping roughly six stone in the process.

Vickery gets shredded

The challenge initially began with a simple target – Vickery wanted to be in the best shape of his life to mark the 20th anniversary of England's famous 2003 World Cup win.
It soon became much more serious.
His regime included early-morning cardio sessions, with Vickery eventually taking his new physique onto the bodybuilding stage.
The former Gloucester and Wasps prop competed at the UK Ultimate Physiques British Open Championships, finishing third.
Speaking to talkSPORT about his transformation, Vickery revealed how his weight had crept up after his playing days ended.
It's certainly a long way from packing down in the front row.

England World Cup winner

Vickery won 73 England caps between 1998 and 2010 and was a key member of Sir Clive Woodward's 2003 squad.
He started the World Cup final as England famously beat Australia 20-17 in Sydney thanks to Jonny Wilkinson's extra-time drop goal.
Vickery later captained his country and also represented the British & Irish Lions on tours to Australia and South Africa.
Away from rugby, he won Celebrity MasterChef in 2011 before eventually finding another competitive outlet in bodybuilding.
More than two decades after lifting the Webb Ellis Cup, the Raging Bull is still going strong.

1. He was a cattle inseminator before rugby

Before packing down for England, Vickery had a very different day job.
The Cornishman left school at 16 and worked on his family’s dairy farm, where he became a herdsman and qualified cattle inseminator.
Vickery later spoke about his unusual route into professional rugby in an interview with Last Word on Sports.

2. He won Celebrity MasterChef

This is probably the best-known Vickery fact away from rugby.
Eight years after lifting the Webb Ellis Cup, the former prop swapped scrums for the kitchen and won Celebrity MasterChef in 2011.
He beat journalist Kirsty Wark and actor Nick Pickard in the final, with The Guardian covering his unlikely triumph.

3. He captained England at a World Cup

Vickery wasn't finished with the World Cup after England's famous 2003 triumph.
Four years later, he returned as captain and led a written-off England side all the way to another final.
Their remarkable run eventually ended with a 15-6 defeat against South Africa in Paris, a match Rugby World later revisited.

4. He toured twice with the Lions

Vickery also represented the British & Irish Lions on two tours, heading to Australia in 2001 before returning eight years later for the 2009 trip to South Africa.
He played five Lions Tests in total, with his full touring record available through the British & Irish Lions.

5. He turned his nickname into a business

Vickery was known throughout his playing career as the 'Raging Bull' – and he eventually made the nickname work for him away from rugby.
The former Gloucester prop launched his own Raging Bull clothing brand, turning one of rugby's most recognisable nicknames into a successful business after his playing days.
loading

Loading