Matt was joined by Paul Kimmage, the award-winning journalist who has written the story, and Mike Jones from publishers Simon & Schuster, as well as family and friends.
“It was a pretty emotional process, I had to deal with things I hadn’t really faced before,” said Matt, who suffered a serious neck injury in an accident in training with England Under-21s in 2005. "It was a very long process, but it was worth it and I am very proud of the book.”
Richard Cockerill, Darren Garforth, Harry Ellis, Freddie Tuilagi, Matt Cornwell and Peter Wheeler were among the former Tigers players in attendance, as well as current squad members George Skivington, Graham Kitchener and Ben Woods.
“The human story of this book and the way it is written transcends the sport of rugby,” said Mike Jones from Simon & Schuster. “It is a moving and engaging story which has been brilliantly captured.”
Kimmage, who first met Matt at Stoke Mandeville shortly after his accident and wrote about their first conversations in the Sunday Times, said: “When I first met Matt I couldn’t imagine being in his place but I’ve got to know him and his family and many of his friends very well. Matt’s parents Anne and Phil have been fantastic and there are so many people to thank.
“This has been an incredibly emotional journey for me and Matt but I think I am a better person than when we started.
“There is really only one place where we could launch this book and that is here at Leicester Tigers.”
Engage is available now via the Matt Hampson Foundation website at www.matthampsonfoundation.org or at book shops.
