The future of the England Rugby Union captain, Lawrence Dallaglio, was uncertain last night after an inquiry began into allegations that he took ecstasy and cocaine on the 1997 British and Irish Lions' tour of South Africa. It was also alleged that he dealt in drugs before taking up the game.
The English Rugby Football Union was last night trying to arrange a meeting with the 26-year-old player. It said that the RFU's management board had noted the allegations, in yesterday's News of the World, and was discussing them "as a matter of urgency".
The claims threw England's planning for October's World Cup into disarray, putting in question not only Dallaglio's role as captain, but even his place in the squad. Players and officials expressed disbelief at the reports. Dallaglio's mother, Eileen, dismissed them as "a complete tissue of lies". She added: "That is an area that he would never, ever be involved in, because of our Catholic background."
The News of the World alleged that the Wasps' flanker had admitted taking drugs during a party to celebrate the Lions' 2-1 series victory in South Africa, along with two other squad members.
The player reportedly claimed that he had dealt in drugs when he was 18 or 19. He allegedly said: "I used to be a drug-dealer. I made big, big money from dealing in drugs. That's how I used to make money before I took up rugby."
Referring to the Lions' celebrations in South Africa, Dallaglio was quoted as saying: "We had a massive party, an all-day party, and halfway through the party one of the players in the squad came over to me with three Es [ecstasy tablets] and just popped one straight into my mouth. There was one for another squad member, one for myself and one for him."
The public school-educated forward also reportedly bragged about having sex with prostitutes in an Amsterdam hotel.
Dallaglio's agent, Mr Ashley Woolfe, said yesterday that he hoped to arrange a "face-to-face meeting" with the player. He added: "I have spoken briefly to Lawrence on the telephone, but I am not prepared to divulge any information until I have met him."
Fran Cotton, tour manager of the Lions in South Africa in 1997, said: "If there were any drugs taken on the Lions' tour two years ago, when I was the manager, I was totally unaware of it."