During his international career he played in three World Cups,1995, 1999, and 2003, where he was an integral part of the 2003 World Cup winning side. He also went on three Lions tours: the victorious tour to South Africa in 1997, and to Australia in 2001 and New Zealand in 2005. He earned 66 caps for England, captaining them to victory four times, and scored 16 tries and 1 drop goal (the only England forward to do so in a test match in the history of the game). He played as an open-side flanker. He is married to Alison, with whom he has a daughter, Olivia, who joined him on the winning podium in 2003, and a son, Finley.