THE CAMPAIGN
On 22nd November 2003, England won the Rugby World Cup. Now, 20 years later, the squad has launched 03 Champions, a charity supporting athletes with the challenges of life after sport.
In November 2023, the 31 players of England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup squad reunited for the very first time as a squad for a private reunion to celebrate the Anniversary of that unforgettable day in Sydney 20 years before.
Amid the instant camaraderie, banter and the joy of all being as one again, it became obvious that in the years since winning the world cup many darker challenges had affected members of the squad, as they left the sport they had dedicated their whole lives to and sacrificed so much for.
Many of these national heroes had left their playing careers and often their sense of identity behind without any support for the physical, mental, and financial challenges they faced ahead, as they started again with their new lives.
Following the reunion, it dawned on the squad that there was an opportunity to support each other by using their contacts to develop a network of support and benevolence for those members of the squad in need. Be that assistance with treatment costs for the scars left by the game, employment help or simply good professional advice.
However, there was also a realisation that if this successful squad were facing issues, the scale of the problem must affect so many others involved in professional sport.
The squad have agreed to use their profile to offer a safety net to other athletes as they transition away from sport through the formation of a charitable entity.
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