RugbyRebels

He calleth time
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/48184828

'One of the games great characters'.
A fitting tribute indeed.He'll be popping up everywhere now on the celeb. circuit I am sure, and deliver with applomb.

A shame - I was fully expecting him to go off to Yank country and star in an MLR franchise to kid on that he's David Beckham.

Occasionally divisive character and will never be noted as one of the greats, but I've got respect for him knuckling down and proving the doubters wrong in 2016. Always put his body on the line for England, even if his brain occasionally didn't join it.

Puja

Got much stick on here over the years but when fit and on form, a truly excellent player. Hugely committed, powerful, great carrier, big tackler, good at the breakdown - a lot to love if a physical, mobile back rower without soft hands is your thing. In full flight he could be wonderful to watch. Great athlete, very good player.

Good luck to him.

He was terrible at the breakdown, but I do have a soft spot for him.

morepork wrote:He was terrible at the breakdown, but I do have a soft spot for him.

He stole opposition ball regularly at the breakdown and in the 3-0 series vs Aus he was magnificent at the breakdown.

I think he’s grown in everyone’s affections. He took a lot of stick early on for starting to set himself up for his life after rugby. Now, of course, the clubs and the RPA actively encourage players to do just that. There is a mini interview in the times saying that his Northampton wage is the same as he earned as an apprentice at Wasps - he often says on his podcast that it costs him money to go to work - as he wanted a shot at Japan, and that his contract at Highlanders was £10,000 and he, again, lost money but he wanted to improve his rugby. Kudos.

I actually quite like him, he comes across as normal and is up for a laugh. In a time when everything is so bloody serious he's been a breath of fresh air. The fact he seemed to get on Fazs tits constantly was brilliant.

Love the Hask - incredible work ethic, very much his own man, and completely in on the joke.

Best of luck to him and fingers crossed HoR morphs into Rugby a.m.

I like him. Sure he's done some twattish things but he seems like a straight up, decent bloke.
As a player he's done well with the talent he had. Was excellent for England under Eddie later on.

TheDasher wrote:

morepork wrote:He was terrible at the breakdown, but I do have a soft spot for him.

He stole opposition ball regularly at the breakdown and in the 3-0 series vs Aus he was magnificent at the breakdown.

He was great in 2016, but before that he was appalling. Fair play to him for working on a weakness (and on Eddie for finding the best way to use him) but for the majority of his career, it wasn't a strength.

I remember watching him for the Highlanders once and despairing as he ran in at full tilt to try and clear out a jackaller, slipped off to the side without moving him an inch, and ending up clinging to his ankles and stopping anyone else from clearing out as well.

Puja

fivepointer wrote:I like him. Sure he's done some twattish things but he seems like a straight up, decent bloke.
As a player he's done well with the talent he had. Was excellent for England under Eddie later on.

He's had a great career, but I think he could have done better with the physical talent he had; IMO he gym-bunnied at the expense of developing skills, and his decision making has always been an 'opportunity'. Frustrating player tbh.

There are two sides to the breakdown, and he was fantastic at one of them.

He also gave us 'haskell likes this post', without which we'd be lost.

2016 and in oz - was inspired.

I personally found his persona (media?) irritating and just feeding the Welsh etc view of the "Nigels".
I do get that he is probably savvy enough to have played on it though.

Was at the Ricoh a few years ago when he was making a comeback - came on as a sub and literally knocked himself out cold within about 30 seconds of being on the pitch - laughed my duck off.

Hask Cam

I tried watching some of that rugby show he has and his sense of humour is absolutely unbearable. Seems like a nice guy though.

Never made the most of his athletic gifts, as others have said, if he and Robshaw could have swapped body/brains etc.

He’s provided a lot of entertainment over the years though and the 2016 success should be a well deserved trophy of what he could do.

Haskell was always very committed and had physical presence when playing for England. He also had a great turn of pace for a 17 stone+ forward. He also took time to improve his play through stints in France, Japan and New Zealand - he also hired Margot Wells to do speed work.
I was a bit surprised that mid career he opted to play at openside as I thought his build and playing style was far better suited to playing 6 or even 8 (his pace off the back of the scrum being an asset here) - at the risk of controversy I also thought he was a better all round test blindside than Croft (who for me was more of an erstatz 7 or even 13).Haskell’s career seemed to mirror that of Joe Worsley’s insomuch as both were touted as long term England No.8 prospects early in their test careers yet both somehow ended those careers with 70 + caps playing as massive opensides!

Mr Mwenda wrote:He also gave us 'haskell likes this post', without which we'd be lost.

Puja

He should become a ref.

jngf wrote:Haskell was always very committed and had physical presence when playing for England. He also had a great turn of pace for a 17 stone+ forward. He also took time to improve his play through stints in France, Japan and New Zealand - he also hired Margot Wells to do speed work.
I was a bit surprised that mid career he opted to play at openside as I thought his build and playing style was far better suited to playing 6 or even 8 (his pace off the back of the scrum being an asset here) - at the risk of controversy I also thought he was a better all round test blindside than Croft (who for me was more of an erstatz 7 or even 13).Haskell’s career seemed to mirror that of Joe Worsley’s insomuch as both were touted as long term England No.8 prospects early in their test careers yet both somehow ended those careers with 70 + caps playing as massive opensides!

I kind of agree ...

I wish him all the best. He’s never been a particular favourite of mine, but I respect the fact that he’s continually worked on his game and sought opportunities to experience different styles of rugby.

The EPS set up obviously limits this now, but even if it didn’t, I’m not sure that many players would have put themselves up for the kind of opportunities overseas that Haskell did i.e. experience over money motivation.

morepork wrote:He should become a ref.

Given he couldn't do England games I'm struggling to see why this isn't a genius idea

jngf wrote: he also hired Margot Wells to do speed work.
I!

Seldom has Margot been more perturbed at what she was presented to work with, he was basically an unco

Digby wrote:

jngf wrote: he also hired Margot Wells to do speed work.
I!

Seldom has Margot been more perturbed at what she was presented to work with, he was basically an unco

That ejaculating lowland gorilla running style.

From 'I'm a Celebrity..' in the Oz jungle (along with Caitlyn Jenner), to Bellator MME after that, he appears to be taking tentative steps in forging a new career.

Full credit to him for giving Super Rugby a go.

The pinnacle of his career of course was his appearance on the My Dad Wrote a Porno podcast.