The Running on Emotion podcast talks to successful sporting names, exploring how key and defining emotions are leveraged in each hero’s career.
In episode 1, host Alastair Eykyn is in conversation with Lawrence Dallaglio about his upbringing, how rugby changed the course of his life following his sister’s tragic death, the emotional rollercoaster of professional sport and what he learned from a negative News of the World story.
Speaking about growing up, Lawrence talks about his humble working class background and how he is very conscious of his Italian heritage in his upbringing and how displaying emotion and affection is normal. He remembers being picked up from school from the age of six or seven by his father and mother, says: “There would be this kind of hug and this emotion. And the rest of my schoolmates would look at me and think I was mental or something, you know, what are they doing?”
Rugby certainly changed the course of Lawrence’s life, he says: “If you detest losing, then it’s not just about a game – it’s more than a game – it’s about you, your representation of yourself.”
He talks about the very difficult time when he lost his sister on the Marchioness riverboat disaster and says that experience is inextricably linked to his rugby career.
“I joined Wasps at the age of 18 in 1990 and I did so because I needed to find some purpose and direction in my life – I was channelling my energies in the wrong direction.
“I needed to do that to help my mother and father who were really struggling. And from the minute I walked in the door, Wasps, the club that I joined, gave me a real sense of belonging, of community, of family. I felt spiritually I’d arrived in the right place.”
Opening up about how difficult was for him and his family when his sister was tragically lost in the disaster, Lawrence explains: “It was a horrific event, one of those things that blows your life apart and that of your parents. From that day on, life was never the same and still never has been the same,” he says.
Sport is an emotional rollercoaster for most sports men and women and Lawrence discusses why this is the case. It has a lot to do with the fact that you must be at the top of your game all the time and you’re judged every day you train and you’re judged every week you play. “I think I’d speak on behalf of every sportsman or woman – it’s bloody tough. It takes its toll on you physically, takes its toll on you mentally and emotionally,” he admits.
Alastair asks Lawrence about when he was subject to a newspaper sting in 1999 where reporters were disguised as potential sponsors, but subsequently claimed he’d made out he dealt drugs as a youngster amongst other things and so lost the captaincy as a result.
Lawrence says it was all a mix of misplaced pride, bravado and stupidity. He talks about how it was a crushing blow, and although it did hurt him, it was more because he’d let a lot of other people down, particularly his parents.
“It certainly fuelled me, and I learned a lot of very, very big lessons from that,” Lawrence admits, “and I’d like to think I was a better person after it. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, particularly, or anyone’s family. It was an unnecessary story, but I was a better player and a better person as a result of it.”
Running on Emotion is available every Monday wherever you get your podcasts.
