THE most capped English rugby player of all time heads a list of honorary graduands from Essex University.

Jason Leonard, who helped his team win the Rugby World Cup in 2003 will join 3,300 students and 10,000 guests set to graduate in 12 separate ceremonies this week.

Leonard, who was Rugby Football Union president in 2015, has also helped start the Atlas Foundation which has established community sports initiatives all over the country.

Other honorary graduands announced by the university in April include Baroness Helen Kennedy - a respected human rights lawyer, fashion designer Anya Hindmarch, university stalwart Phillip Tolhurst, government expert Annemarie Naylor, energy consultant Afsheen Rashid, Tate Modern director Frances Morris, chief executive of the British Academy Alun Evans and Lord Phillips of Sudbury.