Dallaglio has often been a leading light at the dinner, which is noted neither for its brevity or sobriety. In 1998, he was the club's personality of the year, after being made captain of England for the first time. Accepting his award, he told a variation of the old joke on crisis management handed down by his immediate England predecessor, Phil de Glanville.

"Here's three envelopes, open one each time you're faced with a major crisis, " the joke had De Glanville advising the then 25-year-old Dallaglio. To cut a shaggy dog story short, the first envelope contains a note saying "blame the previous captain", the second says "blame the press and everyone else" and the third says "start writing three more envelopes".

Nine years on, Dallaglio has lost his England place and . . .

more hurtful perhaps, as Wasps' talisman for more than a decade . . . his right to automatic selection in his club's back row.

But he hasn't yet felt the need to hand three envelopes to Wasps' Alex King, even though the fly-half has captained the side on three occasions of late when Dallaglio, the club skipper, has been in the starting XV.

"You can't play every single week at 33 or 34, it's impossible, " said Shaun Edwards, Wasps' head coach, who is hoping for wins from home matches against Worcester today and Perpignan in the Heineken Cup on Saturday.

"All players go through a stage, for their own good, when they're rested. The reason Lawrence wasn't captain was 100 per cent to help Lawrence. The last two summers he's had surgery and it's tough enough playing at 33 or 34 as it is without extra burdens. It's not a punishment, and I'd say in the last month his form has definitely improved. He was defensive player of the week over in Treviso [in December] and some of his tackling was getting back close to his best."

Dallaglio twice held press conferences to relinquish the England captaincy, once when he retired from international rugby in 2004 and after the News of the World 'sting' in 1999. Perched on an exercise bike next to Wasps' gym, he admitted regret over the 2004 decision (which he reversed last season with no more reward than four substitute appearances in the Six Nations), but it was not the venue for another grand revelation. "I feel that there's another level I can reach physically, and perhaps dominate games in a way I'm more used to doing, " Dallaglio promised. He hasn't given up on England, he "firmly intends" to see out his Wasps contract and he hasn't considered coaching.

Even so, Dallaglio has fingers in several commercial pies, including media work, corporate hospitality at Twickenham . . . "finding out how difficult it is to sell an England team that aren't performing, " he said with a grin . . . and clothing stores.

The pressing problem for Wasps is how and when they will compensate for his loss.

A Wasps supporters' message board last week listed Dan Leo, Joe Worsley, Johnny O'Connor and youngsters Tom Rees and James Haskell as more deserving than Dallaglio of back row selection.

Rees is one of seven Wasps in the 33-man English squad, while Haskell is in the A-team.

But Wasps have been losing tight away matches this season that, with Dallaglio in his pomp, they used to win. They are likely to go out of Europe if they lose at Castres in a fortnight.

"I'm made to feel very much part of this club, " said Dallaglio, who is captain and No.8 again today with Worsley missing through injury.

"That's probably why I'm still here when there would be obvious opportunities for me elsewhere. I welcome guys like Haskell and Rees, Dan Leo has been exceptional as well, the list goes on. I like to think I was part of the process of bringing them here."