Phil Vickery (rugby union)
A formidable pillar of England's scrum, his strength and leadership were instrumental in securing rugby's ultimate prize.
Born 1976 (age 50)·British Lions & England international rugby union footballer·Birthday: March 14·Generation X
Biography
Phil Vickery was the embodiment of the modern tighthead prop: immense, technically astute, and fiercely competitive. Hailing from Cornwall, he brought a farmer's strength to the front row, becoming a cornerstone for Gloucester and later London Wasps. His international career with England was marked by brutal physicality and surprising durability. Vickery's pinnacle came in 2003 when he started in every match of England's Rugby World Cup triumph in Australia, his scrummaging providing the platform for Jonny Wilkinson's historic kicks. Nicknamed 'The Raging Bull,' he captained England on numerous occasions and later toured with the British & Irish Lions in 2009. Persistent neck injuries eventually forced his retirement, closing the book on a career defined by relentless power and a World Cup winner's medal.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Phil was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Phil Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Phil's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2003 Rugby World Cup with England, playing in all seven matches of the tournament.
- Earned 73 caps for England and served as the national team captain on multiple occasions.
- Selected for two British & Irish Lions tours, in 2001 to Australia and 2009 to South Africa.
- Won multiple domestic titles in England, including Premiership championships with London Wasps.
Did You Know?
He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2004 for services to rugby.
Vickery owns and operates a farm in his native Cornwall.
After rugby, he competed in the 2011 BBC series 'Celebrity MasterChef' and won the competition.
He has worked extensively as a rugby pundit and commentator for television.
“You can't farm soft, and you can't play prop soft either.”
