Fans only just realised Gregg Wallace played for professional rugby club

In a twist more unexpected than a raw scallop on 

MasterChef, Wales Online has revealed Wallace once harboured serious rugby ambitions. And not just anywhere either — the celebrity chef’s journey took him from the backline into the engine room, swapping flair for graft in a move that would make any old-school forward proud.

From kitchen heat to front-row grit, it’s a rugby backstory few saw coming — and one that’s now got fans doing a double take.

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Before he was dishing out critiques in the Masterchef kitchen, Wallace was dishing out passes across the backline during his school days. But it wasn’t until he hit his 30s that rugby came storming back into his life.

A chance encounter with an old mate saw him lace up his boots once again, this time for Eton Manor RFC. Gone were the days of flying down the wing—Wallace was now scrumming down at hooker.

Gregg’s rugby journey didn’t end there. He went on to feature for London Welsh Occies—the veterans’ side of the once-famous Premiership club—while his son Tom got stuck in with the minis.

By then, Wallace was pushing 40 and coaching the next generation of ruggers. He even picked up two coaching badges, adding “mini-rugby mentor” to his CV alongside TV presenter and pudding connoisseur.

A long-time Wasps supporter, Wallace regularly attended matches home and away with his eldest son—right up until the club’s financial collapse in 2022. But the 60-year-old hasn’t given up hope.

With the club expected to make a dramatic return in the coming years—rumoured to be with a new home in Kent—Wallace is already looking forward to backing his beloved Wasps once more.

“We go to watch Wasps, home or away, and we watch England, home or away. That’s what we do together,” he said.