Players / My World

James Haskell

/ London Wasps and England

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I've shaken hands with The Pope. A lot of the 2003 World Cup winners couldn't make it Rome for the weekly general audience at the Vatican, and they needed support, so I asked the guy who was organising it, and he checked and said it would be OK. I ended up being between Lol [Lawrence Dallaglio] and Josh Lewsey in the photograph.

 

A lot of the people who gave me stick have got their own website now. I got a lot of abuse for it at the time. When the boys discovered it, it was the first time I'd seen it as well. It was actually the old man's idea. I was only 17 and no one believed me at the time. I use it as a vessel to thank people, plus, it adds an extra dimension to get some advertising in. I've made some money out of it so I've had the last laugh really.

 

Everyone thinks Tom Rees's is a bit of a computer geek but it's all a façade.  He's hard working, conscientious, very underestimated in the banter stakes. He's considered to be a quiet, nicer than nice character, but his chat is sometimes painfully good. His brain is always working away. When he steps in, he's usually pretty cutting and has us all in tears.

 

I don't have a favourite back-rower, I'll look at skills different players possess. I'm a big fan of Richie McCaw - he's a great player - and I like Imanol Harinordoquy, although I'm not sure about his tight play but he adds a completely different dimension to the French side, and I like Rodney So'oialo as well.

 

I've always fancied working in a different country
If I wasn't playing rugby i probably would've gone to university and got a job in the city. I was keen to do a bit of travelling too.

 

I'd freak out if my computers died. I'd save my laptop and my hard drive before anything else if my house was burning down.

 

I've played at some terrible grounds before. You couldn't see the lines on the back pitch at Henley because of the slope, so they put a couple of portable spotlights in one corner. It wasn't Twickenham put it that way.

 

I keep myself active. I enjoy going to the cinema, reading, clay pigeon shooting and going to the theatre. It's very rare that i'll end up just sitting in front of the TV.