Former England rugby captain Lawrence Dallaglio has revealed he sought therapy to cope with "self-pity" and financial ruin after the collapse of his marriage. The 2003 Rugby World Cup winner, 54, spoke about his personal struggles in an appearance on The High Performance podcast, detailing how his divorce from model wife Alice, after nearly 20 years together, coincided with him being declared bankrupt.

Dallaglio admitted he "retreated into hibernation" and "went into his shell" as his personal and financial lives unraveled. "What I didn't expect was so much of a period of such self-pity," he said. "I've been a little bit guilty of being a bit sort of, isn't life really unkind? And haven't things worked out against me?"

The couple's split was made public in February 2025. Three months later, in May, Dallaglio was declared bankrupt. This followed the collapse of his sports company, Lawrence Dallaglio Limited, which had entered voluntary liquidation in 2023 after facing a petition from HMRC. He was ordered to pay off an overdrawn director's loan exceeding £366,500, with a subsequent review revealing total debts of £423,570.

Dallaglio acknowledged that much of his financial situation was "my own doing" and suggested that, in hindsight, he might have avoided divorce by suppressing his true feelings. The combination of his divorce, significant financial pressure, and the death of his father Vincenzo, aged 91, last year prompted him to confront his struggles.

He confessed to initially being in denial, telling himself the upheaval was not affecting him. "First of all is acceptance," he explained. "I'm not going to be able to solve this on my own. I need some help here to traverse back to a path that I think I need to get to." He found it difficult to admit he needed help, particularly for someone who had spent his life assisting others. "The hardest person to admit it to is yourself," he stated.

The former rugby star, who earned 85 caps for England, has a history of off-field controversies. In 1999, he was stripped of the England captaincy amid allegations of drug use and confessing to using prostitutes. He also faced accusations of using and dealing cocaine and ecstasy, claiming he made significant money from drug dealing in his youth before his rugby career. He was fined £15,000 for bringing the game into disrepute. Later, his relationship with Alice faced challenges, including allegations of infidelity on both sides, and a reported fling by Alice with a property developer in 2005. They had initially separated in March 2005, but reconciled and married later that year.

Despite these past events, Dallaglio stated that he has moved on with the right help and feels he is no longer "broken." "There's lots of things I'd do differently, but if you lose your money in life, you've lost nothing," he reflected. The Insolvency Register currently shows his discharge from bankruptcy is suspended until August 31, 2027.

Dallaglio has since been seen living in rented accommodation in St Albans, Hertfordshire, with a new partner. Neighbors described him as relaxed and happy, enjoying walks with a new puppy. He retired from rugby in 2008 and has since worked in television and radio punditry, as well as running his own charity. He was awarded an OBE in 2008 for his contributions to sport and charity.