Most notably, Balshaw was part of the 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning squad, a team that displayed the definition of peak performance and effective teamwork. Kickstarting his career at Preston Grasshoppers, Balshaw played at junior level until 1998 when he made his senior debut with Bath. Only in his teens, Iain managed to score thirteen tries within his first season, a success that foreshadowed the rest of his career on the pitch.
After seven years with Bath, he moved to Leeds in 2004 where he discovered his incredible skill and peak performance that he could achieve within the sport. He sat the beginning of the season out due to a groin injury but came back with a bang in the teams first home win of the season against Worcester Warriors. His proficient play displayed within the following few games meant that he established himself in the starting line up for the Tykes for a streak of five consecutive games. His dedication was awarded captaincy for the Powergen Cup semi-final, a performance that led him to be recalled for the final.
Following Leeds Carnegie’s relegation from the Guinness Premiership, Iain became a member of Gloucester Rugby before moving to Biarritz Olympique in 2009 to compete in the high profile Top 14 tournament.
Along with a shining club career, Iain built a monumental international career. He was initially selected to sit on the replacements bench for England throughout the entirety of 2000 but finally won his first cap as a substitute in the Six Nations Championships. Following his later performance as a substitute in the England-Australia autumn International, Iain was eventually selected to be part of the starting line up for the 2001 Six Nations and then toured Australia as part of the British and Irish Lions.
Selected to tour with the England squad again in the 2002-03 season, Balshaw scored two tries in a Churchill Cup match against Japan before experiencing difficulties with a previous shoulder injury. He became restricted and received a lot of criticism on his unprecedented tired performance but still managed to retain his reputation with Clive Woodward who selected him as part of the 2003 World Cup squad.
The play he bought to the World Cup was no less than his peak performance. He displayed true skill and professionalism when he scored a vital try by catching a diagonal kick from Jonny Wilkinson in the 70th minute. He was also part of the 19 players who fought for the Cup in the final, although he came on as a replacement in the 85th minute, he proved to play a vital role in winning the first and only Rugby World Cup for England. Iain continued to enjoy a successful career in rugby until a serious knee injury forced him to retire in 2014. Now he combines his knowledge within rugby, teamwork and resilience to form an inspiring speech that leaves audiences feeling empowered and motivated.
