The Forgotten Hero

Many will remember England's World Cup winning side in 2003 with players such as Martin Johnson, Jason Robinson and Jonny Wilkinson all going down in the history books for their exceptional performances. Although it is easy to remember these players, there is one man who you may have forgotten about in the World Cup-winning team.

After retiring at 28 and living in Australia for three years, this man went off the radar but his legacy and talent should always be remembered. Playing as a modern prop, the Cornishman won 22 caps for England at loosehead, helping his country to World Cup glory and picking up an MBE in the process.

Now at the age of 34, Trevor Woodman has gone on to coaching but with so much talent he could have done so much more in the game if he wasn't forced into retirement.

The Cornishman born in Liskeard has had a whole load of ups and downs during his career. After narrowly missing out on the 1999 World Cup squad, Woodman was more determined then ever to make the trip to Australia in 2003. Although he did achieve this goal it wasn't as easy as he would have liked. Injuries meant that he was never a guaranteed starter in Clive Woodward's side but 2003 turned out to be an extraordinary year for Woodman.

Only 28 at the time, Woodward achieved a year of honours that most professionals would be happy with at the end of their careers. A Six Nations Grand Slam, topping the league table with Gloucester as well as winning the Powergen Cup and to top it all off the biggest prize in rugby, a World Cup winners medal. It was a phenomenal achievement for a player so plagued by injury and Woodman remembered that year well.

"I just think generally 2003 was a very good year; a Grand Slam, Powergen and World Cup,  said Woodman. "I remember a game 6 weeks after the World Cup Final, coming on at Kingsholm, myself and Phil Vickery were replacements and came on after 40 minutes, in the second half. The whole of the crowd went wild for us. 

After such a successful year the prop decided to move on in 2004 joining Sale Sharks from Gloucester. This turned out to be the toughest part of Woodman's career as he only played four matches due to an injury that also forced him to retire.

The injury was caused in a training session to Woodman's back and it was a recurring problem for the forward. After taking some rest and going through various medical consultations, he gave up and his career was over. It was a sad day for Woodman after the glory of the previous season but there was nothing he could do. Other players had the choice to retire like Martin Johnson who went on to become national manger or Matt Dawson who went on to television roles such as 'A Question Of Sport.' But for Woodman his fate was out of his hands and his flourishing career was ended at the young age of 28.

"I played my last game in October 2004 and from then it was a case of taking three months off, then taking six months off, then I had the news that I wasn't going to play again, remembered Woodman. He added: "You always think there is a way back. I'd had neck surgery and came back from that. But I was given a 10 per cent chance of recovering and a doctor sat me down and said, 'I don't think it's wise for you to come back. 

After the sad and shocking end to his career, Woodman decided to go to Australia with his fiancee and this soon got him back into rugby. It wasn't playing of course but he started coaching rugby full-time at Sydney University and Woodman remembered this as a 'good learning curve.'

In 2009 Woodman finally came home to coach at Wasps alongside Tony Hanks, Shaun Edwards and John McCloskey. Here Woodman was reacquainted with former team-mate and fellow World Cup winner Phil Vickery. Vickery also has had a career full of spinal problems but he was lucky enough to stay in the game, even captaining England in the 2007 World Cup final defeat to South Africa.

Woodman still remains part of the Wasps coaching staff team today and he seems to be enjoying his role at the club. For a man who is only 34, he is surely missing playing the game but being involved in the sport one way or another is better then nothing.

After being asked what he would miss the most from not playing rugby, he said: "I think it's just everything that goes with playing for your country, it's just the whole buzz of driving to the game, and on the pitch you've got all these fans cheering you on and standing there singing the anthems with 70-80 thousand people, it's just the adrenaline and buzz I miss. 

So Woodman misses playing for England and everyone should miss him too because any man that is part of a World Cup winning team should never be forgotten, especially one with such an emotional career such as his.