Dan Norton: the greatest try scorer in rugby sevens history

The Starting Line with Rich Leigh

Olympic silver medallist Dan Norton, born in Gloucester, is the the all-time record try scorer in the World Rugby Sevens Series, crossing the tryline 358 times for England over the course of 92 tournaments, totalling an enormous 1804 points in total (including 7 conversions - a 100% kicking record, he tells me!).

Norton bowed out of the game as the fourth highest points scorer of all time, going down in history as a legend and one of the greatest sevens players ever, also playing for Team GB at two Olympic games.

Shortly after we spoke, Dan announced his retirement from sevens after a 13-year career, and broke the news of a move into coaching, with China’s rugby sevens squad.

Dan's was the first episode recorded - back in spring 2022 - when I decided to embark on starting this podcast. It took more than a year before I'd be in the position to begin releasing The Starting Line, as a result of a difficult business year for PR and marketing, and I'm incredibly grateful to Dan for being the first person to agree to speaking.

This episode is unique in that it's two conversations, 18 months apart. You'll first hear from Dan, having achieved everything possible in the game of sevens, as he prepares for retiring as a player, and then now, in October 2023, as he looks back at the enormous impact of retiring from professional sport, and why his Chinese coaching opportunity was cut short.

Follow Dan on Instagram @Dan_Norton4, and on Twitter, also @Dan_Norton4.

About The Starting Line Podcast

From a turbulent childhood marred by domestic violence, addiction and crime to being named the #1 most influential PR person, my journey has been anything but conventional.

At 17, I dropped out of school. At 18, I became a father for the first time, and left the chaos of my family council house, determined to rewrite my story and break the cycle so many understandably struggle to.

By 30, I was a successful agency owner with a #1 best-selling book. We were working with some of the UK’s leading brands, entrepreneurs and celebrities, building, shaping and protecting reputations, using my influence to raise more than a million pounds for sick children.

Hosted by me, Rich Leigh, The Starting Line Podcast is your weekly dose of inspiration, featuring powerful interviews with entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and more. Together, we explore the themes of curiosity, resilience, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of success, proving that your starting line doesn't define your potential.

Join me every Monday as we discuss life's challenges with positivity, perseverance and a touch of silliness.

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