- Lawrence Dallaglio has made a statement following Tom Voyce’s disappearance
- The 52-year-old likened the situation to a family tragedy he suffered as a teen
Lawrence Dallaglio has revealed how Tom Voyce’s recent disappearance has brought back painful memories of his own family tragedy.
Voyce, 43 is presumed dead by police after having disappeared during the Storm Darragh flood.
The former wing, who appeared nine times for England between 2001 and 2006, is said to have tried to cross a flood-swollen river in his car, when he was believed to be swept away by the current.
A police search has been ongoing since Sunday afternoon when Voyce didn’t return home following an evening with his friends.
Dallaglio and Voyce were team-mates at both club level for Wasps and on the international stage for England.
The pair won multiple Premiership titles together at the club, with Voyce departing Wasps in 2009 to join Gloucester the year after Dallaglio hung up his boots.
Lawrence Dallaglio has detailed how Tom Voyce’s disappearance is painfully reminiscent of a tragedy he suffered in his youth
Dallaglio and Voyce were team-mates in a Wasps side that enjoyed a successful spell in the early 2000s
The former England captain implored fans to keep Voyce’s family in their thoughts in light of the tragedy
Dallaglio wrote on X: ‘It’s the most horrific news and all I would say at this juncture is that please let us all respect Tom’s family and their suffering right now and keep them in all in our thoughts.
‘Having experienced the same emotions myself when Francesca was missing and presumed dead.
‘Her body wasn’t recovered for 4 days after the marchioness sank. It’s just such a tragedy. Sending all my love x’
Dallaglio was just 17 when his sister Francesca perished in the Marchioness disaster on the River Thames in 1989.
Francesca was the youngest of the 51 people to die in the tragic incident which saw the Marchioness pleasure boat sink after being hit twice by the Bowbelle in the early hours of August 20.
The former England captain later revealed that he had been invited to the party on the boat but ultimately did not attend due to illness and detailed the effect the tragedy had on his family.
‘Whatever happens in your life after that particular moment is not really as it ought to be,’ Dallaglio said in 2011.
‘We all had dinner as a family the night before. I was invited on the boat as well, but I had a headache so decided not to go. It was very unlike me to turn down a party.
‘The next day, Mum woke me to tell me my sister hadn’t come back. I immediately thought, “She’s probably dead. She’s a very sensible girl”
‘The boat sank at 1am. If she wasn’t home by then, there had to be a very good reason. It was horrific.’
Dallaglio revealed that the tragedy served as a turning point in his sporting career, as he went on to play every minute of England’s historic 2003 World Cup triumph.
He added: ‘I certainly wasn’t destined to play for England. I didn’t even play for the 1st XV at school.
‘But I became a man on a mission after I lost my sister. Part of that might have just been me growing up. It’s very hard for me to understand.
‘Was I successful as a result of the fact I decided to grow up, or as a result of the fact my sister died?’
