My Life in Rugby: Trevor Woodman England, Gloucester & Sale prop

I was talking to Mike Teague one evening after a few beers when I was going to have to retire and I said to him: “I don’t want to stop without one of those red jerseys that you’ve got.”
I desperately wanted to play for the Lions but he said to me: “Well, I want one of those medals you’ve got.”
It made me think, the 1991 team came close but what we achieved in 2003, in winning the World Cup, was very special and it will stay with me for life.
I’d had my injury problems but I seemed to get it right in the build-up to 2003 – I remember the game against France in the semis well, I had never been on the losing side for England but they were fancied, and really in form.
Winning that match gave us a lot of confidence – we all went into battle for Martin Johnson, he would lead and we would follow and we were ready for Australia in the final.
Throughout the competition we had played a forwards game, when you have someone like Jonny Wilkinson kicking the goals it makes it easier, but in the final we weren’t getting the calls at the scrum.
The referee, Andre Watson, was favouring the Australian scrum but when Jason Leonard came on he said: “I’m not going to push, I’m just going to hold my ground,” and that got us back on a level pegging.
After the final whistle I remember a feeling of being determined to soak it all in, once you’ve got the medal it’s a memory you won’t get back so I was determined to live each moment as best I could.
We didn’t realise what the reaction would be like back home but when got off the plane, the fanfare was incredible.
And the reception I got back at Gloucester was humbling. The supporters are fantastic, it’s a real rugby town.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and – it was an easy decision to go there in 1996 as I was joining Phil Vickery in the front row there, whom I’d played with since the age of 11.
It was a great time for the club, mixing young English talent with top overseas signings like Philippe Saint-Andre and thanks to the success we had, I ended up making my England debut in 1999.
It was off the bench against the USA at Twickenham, we won by about 100 points but I had to wait until 2002 for my first start.
That was a win against the All Blacks, though, so worth waiting for. It was very special for me, but a few days later I was out of action again with a neck injury which needed surgery and I had to really fight for my place at the 2003 World Cup.
After another year with Gloucester after the World Cup I moved to Sale. It was tough to leave but Sale meant fresh surroundings and I was loving it there but ultimately injuries forced me to retire in 2005.
The chance to coach at Sydney University, and soon after that the Australian RU came along. But it was too much office work and the time was right to come back to Wasps and then earlier this season Gloucester – my home club so I’m very happy here.