My brother’s a heroin addict and I grew up with no dad but I’m the only Englishman to score a Rugby World Cup final try
ENGLAND rugby legend Jason Robinson has revealed the agony of having a heroin addict brother and growing up with no father.
The 49-year-old won 51 caps for his country and became the first black man to captain the Red Rose.
And his status remains cemented as a true icon of the game as he is still the only Englishman ever to score a Rugby World Cup final try.
That came when he helped England to beat Australia for the crown back in 2003.
These days the cross-code superstar is taking part in an ITV documentary called Grand Slammers, with the second episode airing tonight on ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm.
Robinson is one of nine legends that go inside HMP The Mount for a unique challenge to use the power of sport to build and train a team of prisoners to be strong enough to compete against a formidable rival, the Australians.
And he candidly opens up to the jailbirds about his own personal problems and issues growing up.
During the first episode last week, he said: “Everybody sees me as a World Cup winner, scoring tries in a World Cup, you know, captaining England. But that wasn’t always my story.
“I’m the council kid, I’ve no qualifications, I grew up with a lot of challenges and so many times I could have just gone the other way.
“I kind of understand why some are here – just one mistake. It was me getting involved in rugby that completely changed my path.
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“If we can come in here and just inspire one of them to not go back to what they were before, then it’s been worth it.”
During the upcoming episode, Robinson watches a re-run of that 2003 Rugby World Cup final alongside prisoners in a cell.
And after watching his try, he says: “This is why the game’s good. I come from nothing and still to this day I’m the only Englishman to ever score a try in a World Cup final.
“I never thought this little council kid from Leeds – no father, mum’s a cleaner, brother’s a heroin addict – I could never dream that it would happen to me.”
However, despite all the success he had on the rugby pitch, Robinson still heartbreakingly admitted that there was a huge void left in his life.
He added: “As many times that I’ve played at Twickenham and come off the pitch having man of the match and scoring tries, I just wanted my dad there. Do you know what I mean?
“Three World Cup finals and do you know what I probably longed for more, was a birthday card from my dad, or a Christmas card, or, ‘Well done, son.’”