Matt Hampson, is an ex-professional rugby player. He was
progressing very nicely through the junior England levels, notching
up England under 18-, under 19- and latterly, under 21 caps.
His performances for the England Under 21s so impressed coaches
Nigel Redman and Jim Mallinder that Matt became the number one prop
in the team.
| As such, he was one of the game’s genuine rising stars. Then
tragically, one day Matt broke his neck playing rugby and is now
paralysed from the neck down. Matt remembers going down and his
feet being lifted off the ground and feeling suddenly unable to
breathe as unaware teammates piled on top of him.
Matt suffered a dislocation in his neck which had trapped his
spinal cord. It has left him paralyzed from the neck down and more
determined than ever from the neck up. Matt has bounced back to set
up a company, Matt Hampson Ltd, which specialises in sporting
memorabilia.
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It is Matt’s spirit and bravery that has earned him such
recognition and has pulled together the rugby world who want to
take care of one of their own. A trust was set up by a number of
Matt’s close friends and colleagues to help raise the considerable
funds required to help with Matt’s life and treatments.
One of these friends Matt Cornwell, who now plays for
Premiership rugby team Northampton Saints, entered a seven-a-side
team in one of the largest seven-a-side tournaments in the UK.
This took place in Bournemouth over the last Bank Holiday
weekend. The team won through to the Plate Final and came out
victorious. TRS Northampton sponsored the team and following the
victory, the team got together for the photo.
Pete Collins
Towergate Risk Solutions Northampton