England rugby legend Lawrence Dallaglio’s World Cup medal sells for £54,000

A medal from one of English rugby’s most celebrated nights has changed hands for £54,000, while a pair of shorts associated with football icon Eric Cantona and other sporting keepsakes attracted collectors at an auction in England. The sale, held by sports memorabilia specialist Budds on October 13, featured 332 lots spanning rugby, football, cricket, boxing, golf and tennis, according to the auction house’s official results.The headline item was the 2003 Rugby World Cup winner’s medal belonging to former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio. The silver-gilt medal fetched a hammer price of £54,000, close to the lower end of its pre-sale estimate of £50,000 to £80,000. Twelve items from Dallaglio’s collection sold, with the auction house reporting a combined total of £130,650 including the buyer’s premium.The auction offered a glimpse into the market for sporting memorabilia, where objects associated with defining victories can carry a value that extends well beyond their material worth.England’s historic victory in SydneyThe medal commemorates England’s 20-17 victory over Australia in the Rugby World Cup final on November 22, 2003. Played in Sydney, the match went into extra time bef...