Rugby World caught up with ITV star Shaun Wallace, a chaser on quiz show The Chase, to talk his lifelong love of rugby and the All Blacks…

Rugby World: ‘What was your first memory of rugby?

Shaun Wallace: I suppose it was when I was the house captain at Copland School in Wembley. Our four houses were Tudor, York, Lancaster and Windsor and I was the sport captain for York from first year through to fifth year.

We weren’t very good at rugby but nevertheless I was the captain who led them to getting thrashed. I normally played in the forwards as I was relatively tall for my age, but I didn’t like the rough and tumble of it – I preferred watching. The last game I played was when I was 14 and I slotted a conversion – it’s still one of my greatest achievements.

RW: What was the first game you saw?

SW: It was in 1971 when I was ten years old. The British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand, the first time they ever won down there, John Dawes being the captain. But my favourite player was the All Blacks scrum-half Sid Going.

I don’t know why but I immediately became attached to him. It was in the days when wingers threw in at the lineouts. I also recall watching the great Gareth Edwards try for the Barbarians against New Zealand in 1973. Then the tremendous Welsh teams of the 1970s who dominated that era of Five Nations rugby too.

RW: Your favourite player right now?

SW: Marcus Smith. It feels like he needs to be the main go-to guy during this England rebuild. Him and Alex Mitchell could put them in contention for the 2027 World Cup…

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RW: Best moment as a rugby fan?

SW: I had the honour of going to the 2023 World Cup final in Paris. I struck up a friendship with the great Sam Whitelock of New Zealand while I was in France; he sent me a copy of his autobiography. I really wanted him to become the first player in history to win three Men’s World Cup winners’ medals. He was so gracious at the end of the game.

RW: Anything you want to achieve on the rugby bucket list?

SW: A Lions Test down in Australia is number one! That’s at the top of the list.

RW: Have you ever met your rugby heroes?

SW: Well, I’ve met Sam Whitelock and Sam Cane. I also met Scott Robertson and gave him a copy of my autobiography and he gave me the latest All Blacks jersey in return. It means I’ve struck an affinity with that team. I didn’t get a chance to meet Sid Going (who died last year), but I went to the All Blacks museum when in New Zealand to see his cap as a mark of respect.

Shaun Wallace meeting All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson (Shaun Wallace IG)

RW: What do you love about going to rugby?

SW: It’s the skill and control of working with an oval ball that I love. And the courage it takes for players. You have to have a mindset that is strong physically and mentally for rugby. I always take my hat off to the professionals who are so strong and fit.

RW: What’s a good piece of rugby trivia to have in the back pocket for a rugby quiz?

SW: As it’s a Lions year, Sam Warburton is the only British & Irish Lions Test captain to never have lost a series (in the pro era). Phil Vickery was the first men’s captain to be substituted in a Rugby World Cup final and Siya Kolisi is the first captain to be substituted in two consecutive finals.

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RW: If you could see a player from the past play today, who would you choose?

SW: The great Wales team of the 1970s or the England winger David Duckham, what a magnificent rugby talent. Wouldn’t you like to see Duckham in the professional era? You can’t compare eras with how much the game has changed. But I still think someone like Duckham would transfer into the modern era because if you were a great player then, you’d probably be a great player now. I also liked Stuart Barnes. He played off the hoof, which I admired.

RW: Which opposition player would you like to have seen play for England?

SW: You’d have to say most of the All Blacks of the last decade, the name that springs to mind first being Dan Carter. Him and maybe Morné Steyn. I took a shine to him because he came back to the Springboks having not played internationally for more than five years. And he can kick the ball to Neptune.

RW: Where’s the best place you’ve watched rugby?

SW: Watching a Test in Eden Park was iconic. To witness the All Blacks play in that fortress. I was there for the Test against England last summer; you can feel the aura around the stadium. I stayed in the same hotel as England that series and met Alex Mitchell. What a wonderful scrum-half he is.

RW: Who’d be in your ultimate rugby pub quiz team?

SW: Kieran Read. I had a quiz-off against him in New Zealand and he beat me! And from England, I’d call up Brian Moore. A successful solicitor who is no slouch when it comes to intellectualism.

RW: If you could share a pitch with any player in history, who would it be?

SW: The top three are all New Zealanders. In third place, Colin Meads. In second place, Dan Carter. And in first place, the late, great Jonah Lomu.

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