Not long ago international rugby players had time-consuming day jobs. England’s grand-slam winning side of the early 90s contained an RAF pilot, Rory Underwood, on the wing and a surgeon, Jonathan Webb, operating, so to speak, at full-back. In the professional era, as the England wing Jack Nowell is honest enough to admit, it is a slightly different story.
In common with many modern pros, Nowell has to endure his share of lengthy injury layoffs and ended up filling his idle days last autumn constructing elaborate Lego models. Among his favourites are a VW camper van with working lights, a helicopter, a plane and a fishing boat. So, Jack, what happened to the rock’n’roll lifestyle of a top-class sportsman? “Everyone thinks you are out doing all sorts. I’m sat in my lounge doing Lego.”
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