He was a permanent fixture alongside Steve Borthwick in the second row during the 2008 RBS 6 Nations and started six of England’s seven Rugby World Cup 2007 matches, forming a near unbreakable partnership with Ben Kay which included the final against South Africa.

Simon cemented his place in the RWC squad with solid performances against Wales and France in the Investec Challenge warm-up matches at Twickenham in August. 

It was lost time made up for Simon, who finally started a World Cup game (against USA in Lens) at the fourth attempt. He missed out in 1995 – rupturing knee ligaments two weeks before preparations started – in 1999 and again in 2003, when he had a bit part, becoming England’s 31st player, sent out to replace the injured Danny Grewcock. He sat on the bench for the quarter-final against Wales but he did not get on to the field.

He won his first England cap against Italy in 1996 and then started all the Five Nations matches before going on the Tour of Hell to the Southern Hemisphere.

His England career stalled until 2000 when he stood in for the injured Martin Johnson in the Six Nations and appeared as a replacement in the 27-20 triumph over South Africa in Bloemfontein that summer.

He played in all three tests on the England tour of North America in 2001, scoring the first of his two international tries to date in the 59-20 win over Canada at Burnaby.

His outstanding form for London Wasps saw him still involved with England in 2002-03 and he played a part in all three RWC warm-up games. Against Wales he was voted man-of-the-match and as a replacement he came on against France in Marseille and at Twickenham.

Simon started both tests against New Zealand in 2004 but was red carded 10 minutes into the second match in Auckland for kneeing Keith Robinson to become only the third Englishman after Mike Burton and Danny Grewcock to be sent off in a Test match. He pleaded not guilty to stamping and escaped further punishment because the referee had wrongly consulted the Television Match Official.

A replacement for most of the 2006 RBS 6 Nations before starting against Ireland, he missed the 2007 tournament but was named in the RWC squad.

He was a Bristol player before moving to London Wasps in 1997 and helping them lift the 1999 Tetley's Bitter Cup.  He was immense throughout London Wasps’ brilliant 2003-04 season which ended by winning the Zurich Championship and Heineken Cups – when he was voted Zurich Player of the Year – as well as the 2007 European triumph and last season’s Guinness Premiership title.

He was educated at Kings and Runnymede Colleges, Godalming Sixth Form College and the University of West of England.

Did you know?
Simon lived in Kenya until the age of 16.

His first sporting success was winning schools inter-house shot put and discuss. His father suggested he take up rugby so he found himself thrown in at the deep end at 16, learning fast.

He moved from schools to winning a divisional colts championship. He played in Otago, New Zealand for a year before returning to play for Cranleigh RFC and then Bristol, where he stayed for four years before joining London Wasps.

One of the tallest men to play international rugby for England, it was his weight that counted against him in 1997 when had to watch the Lions win the series in South Africa without him, not because he was not good enough for the Test team but because, at 22 stone, he was considered too heavy to be lifted in the lineout.

Not a man for displaying his medal collection, he says his MBE and 2003 RWC winner’s medal are ‘stashed away’ somewhere.

If Simon had not become a professional rugby player he believes he would have run his own restaurant. He considers former England international Jason Robinson as his toughest opponent because of his fast footwork.