James Haskell

James Andrew Welbon Haskell (born 2 April 1985) is an English former rugby union player who played chiefly as a flanker for Wasps RFC and Northampton Saints in the Aviva Premiership, and internationally for England.

For the American inventor, see James Richard Haskell.

James Haskell
Argentina vs England at 2011 Rugby World Cup
Birth nameJames Andrew Welbon Haskell
Date of birth (1985-04-02) 2 April 1985
Place of birthWindsor, Berkshire, England
Height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)[1]
Weight118 kg (260 lb; 18 st 8 lb)[2]
SchoolPapplewick School, Ascot
Wellington College
SpouseChloe Madeley (m. 2018)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker, Number eight
Youth career
Wasps Academy
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2002–2009
2009–2011
2011–2012
2012–2013
2013–2018
2018–2019		 London Wasps
Stade Français
Ricoh Black Rams
Highlanders
Wasps
Northampton Saints		 92
48
11
12
118
5		 (70)
(35)
(5)
(0)
(30)
(0)
Correct as of 29 March 2020
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2019
2007–2019
2017		 Saxons
England
British & Irish Lions		 22
77
 (15)
(20)
Correct as of 17 March 2018
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
2006 England Dubai

In August 2019 he announced he would become a professional mixed martial artist and is currently signed to Bellator MMA, where he is to compete in their Heavyweight division.[3] In November 2019, it was announced that Haskell would be participating in the nineteenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.[4]

Early life

James Andrew Welbon Haskell was born on 2 April 1985 in Windsor, Berkshire[1]

He was educated at Papplewick School in Ascot, Berkshire [5] and Wellington College in Crowthorne, also in Berkshire.

Club career

Haskell played for Maidenhead Rugby Club prior to joining (Wasps RFC), where he was part of the highly successful Colts set up. He was a replacement as Wasps won the 2007 Heineken Cup Final.[6] The following season he started as Wasps won the 2007–08 Premiership Final.[7] It was announced on 17 February 2009 that Haskell would join Top 14 side Stade Francais at the end of the 2008–09 season.[8]

Haskell played as a loose forward. He announced at the end of the 2010–11 season that he had been released from his contract at Stade Francais, and would instead be rejoining Wasps at the start of the 2012–13 season. During the season after the World Cup, he would play in Japan for the Rams, before seeking a Super Rugby contract for the rest of the season.[9]

In 2011, Haskell agreed to join the Highlanders in Super Rugby, saying he has always wanted to play in new environments and to "improve and become a better player for England".[10] While there, Haskell was competing for the Flanker position with future Scotland international, John Hardie.

In January 2018 it was announced he would leave Wasps at the end of the 2017–18 Aviva Premiership season.[11]

On 7 May 2019 Haskell announced his retirement from professional rugby via an Instagram post.[12]

International career

England

Haskell represented England at under-17, 18 and under-19 levels as well as playing for England Sevens.[13] He also played for Wales at under-18 level, qualifying thanks to his Welsh mother,[14] and is also qualified to play for Ireland.[15] In the 2007 Six Nations, Haskell was called into the starting line-up for the final game of the tournament for England against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, where he was part of a back row that was for the first time provided by one club - Joe Worsley and Tom Rees were the other players from Wasps.[16] He just missed out on selection for the 2007 Rugby World Cup for England, despite spending the summer in their training camp.[17] He played a prominent role in the England team in the 2008 Six Nations.[18] Haskell appeared in both tests of the 2008 summer tour of New Zealand.[19]

Haskell was selected by Martin Johnson for the 2008/2009 Elite Player Squad on 1 July 2008.[20] He appeared in all three autumn internationals, starting against South Africa.[21] Haskell participated in every game of the 2009 Six Nations, though he lost his starting berth to Tom Croft.[22]

Haskell's performances for Stade and injury to Tom Croft meant he returned to the England squad, and he scored two tries against Wales in the first match of the 2010 Six Nations. He started all subsequent games. During a rest week in the Six Nations, Stade requested his return to Paris to face Toulouse that weekend. The RFU held firm, however, and he remained in England.[23]

Haskell was a member of Stuart Lancaster's 31-man squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, however, he was left on the bench in favour of Tom Wood as England crashed out in the group stages.

Haskell was named as the 'man of the series' during England's 3–0 series victory over Australia in June 2016.[24]

British & Irish Lions

On 21 May 2017, Haskell was called up to the British & Irish Lions due to an injury to Billy Vunipola.[25]

MMA career

In August 2019, Haskell signed to mixed martial arts promotion Bellator MMA as part of its Heavyweight division. Haskell had previously done analysis and commentary work for English promotions such as BAMMA and CFF.[3]

In February 2020, it was announced that Haskell would make his professional mixed martial arts debut on 16 May 2020 at Wembley's SSE Arena.[26] The event was ultimately postponed due to the Coronavirus outbreak.[27]

After having numerous injuries still stemming from his rugby career and eventually having spinal surgery in September 2021, Haskell decided to forgo his MMA career.[28]

I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!

In November 2019, it was announced that Haskell would be participating in the nineteenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'. He ultimately became the fourth person to be voted off.[29]

Personal life

Haskell is married to television presenter Chloe Madeley; the couple started dating in 2014.[30] Haskell announced on Good Morning Britain in February 2022 that he and his wife Chloe were expecting a baby girl.

Haskell was suspended from Wellington College for producing a non-consensual film showing his friend Paul Doran-Jones having sex with his then girlfriend in school accommodation using a hidden camera. They then showed classmates the film. Doran-Jones was expelled and Haskell suspended for the incident. Haskell later made light of the incident in a YouTube podcast in 2019 joking, "All I am going to say is this. My idea, Paul was execution" and "I was nothing to do with it apart from, obviously, it was my idea".[31][32][33]

In 2011, Haskell was accused of sexually harassing a hotel worker alongside fellow England players Dylan Hartley and Chris Ashton.[34]

James is also a DJ playing house music and producing his own music. He has built up a reputation having played around the world in places such as London, Dubai and Ibiza.[35][36] He has a series for the renowned house label Defected Records called Backrow Beats.[37]

References
  1. "James Haskell". ESPN. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  2. "British & Irish Lions James Haskell". British & Irish Lions. Archived from the original on 2 November 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  3. "James Haskell joins Bellator as heavyweight MMA fighter". BBC. 22 August 2019.
  4. Harp, Justin (11 November 2019). "I'm a Celebrity cast confirmed as Caitlyn Jenner, Ian Wright and more join". Digital Spy. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  5. The Old Papplewickian, Issue No.12, 2012
  6. "Heineken Cup final: Leicester 9–25 Wasps". BBC. 19 May 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  7. "Guinness Premiership final". BBC. 31 May 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  8. "Trio quit Wasps to play in France". BBC News. 17 February 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  9. "Haskell to rejoin Wasps in 2012". BBC News. 3 July 2011.
  10. "James Haskell excited by Super 15 challenge after joining Highlanders". The Daily Telegraph. 2 November 2011.
  11. "James Haskell to leave Wasps at end of season". 31 January 2018.
  12. "James Haskell to retire after glittering career for England and Wasps". The Guardian. 7 May 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  13. "England are the winners in the 'Dubai Ashes'". Rugby Football Union. 2 December 2006. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  14. McCarry, Patrick (14 March 2019). "James Haskell reveals he once went for trials with Wales". Joe.co.uk. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  15. Sands, Katie (9 January 2019). "England star James Haskell's revelation about playing for Wales as he admits sadness over Jamie Roberts incident". Wales Online. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  16. "Wales 27–18 England". BBC News. 17 March 2007. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  17. "Tindall & Hodgson miss World Cup". BBC. 13 August 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  18. Gordos, Phil (15 March 2008). "Six Nations 2008". BBC News. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  19. Standley, James (14 June 2008). "New Zealand 37–20 England". BBC News. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  20. "Tindall left out of England squad". BBC News. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  21. Standley, James (22 November 2008). "England 6–42 South Africa". BBC News. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  22. Standley, James (21 March 2009). "2009 Six Nations". BBC News. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  23. Mairs, Gavin (2 March 2010). "James Haskell to stay with England squad after 'club v country' row". BBC News. London. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
  24. "News". wasps.co.uk.
  25. "Billy Vunipola withdraws from Lions squad". British & Irish Lions. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  26. "James Haskell: Former England rugby union star to make MMA debut in May". BBC Sport. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  27. stevejuon (31 March 2020). "Bellator MMA Cancels All Near-Term Events Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic". MMAmania.com. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  28. "Haskell swaps MMA for stand-up comedy". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  29. "James Haskell eliminated from I'm a Celebrity". RTÉ.ie. 3 December 2019.
  30. Needham, Lucy (8 April 2018). "Chloe Madeley and James Haskell are engaged after romantic Paris proposal". mirror. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  31. Buckland, Lucy (25 November 2019). "James Haskell sex tape shame - I'm A Celeb star secretly filmed teen in bed with mate". mirror. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  32. Halpin, Tony (29 May 2003). "Father backs sex film boy". times. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  33. Pai, Akshay (13 February 2020). "'I'm A Celebrity' star James Haskell secretly filmed 17-year-old girl having sex with best friend Paul Doran-Jones". meaww. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  34. "England controversy: What really happened in room 510 with James Haskell, Dylan Hartley and Chris Ashton?". The Telegraph. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  35. "DJ".
  36. https://ra.co/events/951675
  37. "DefectedMusic".
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