Overview
- This month the 50-year-old former England prop posted photos from a PCA bodybuilding contest in Hull showing a marked physique transformation.
- Vickery said lifting weights has helped him physically while offering a vital boost to his mental health through routine and competitive focus.
- The ex-England captain made 73 international appearances and was part of the 2003 World Cup-winning squad before retiring in 2010 and later working in coaching, media and player-welfare activism.
- His public update follows an August disclosure that he has memory problems consistent with a 'probable' diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which frames why his post-retirement wellbeing matters to fans and former players.
- Former teammates and rugby accounts praised his effort on social media, and Vickery credited coach Dave Campbell for guiding his bodybuilding journey.