Haskell’s put in the miles so hopes to reap rewards

Globe-trotter is enjoying life back at Wasps and thinks his experiences will help him with club and country
P70 James Haskell
Chris Jones5 October 2012

Only James Haskell would have an ice machine among the items stolen by thieves who smashed the back window of his car in Fulham.

“I’m sure those who think I’m a bit up myself would also have expected me to have lost a cigar humidor and my collection of very expensive whiskey,” said the England and London Wasps forward, who is back in the capital after a whirlwind rugby tour of the world.

Haskell is quick to point out the ice machine was actually a device for aiding recovery from injury. Some of the other items were found thanks to an eagle-eye resident who spotted his stolen Amlin Challenge Cup losers medal — earned with Stade Francais — and his gumshields discarded in a local park. The ice machine, however, is still missing.

Haskell will line up for Wasps at home to Worcester on Sunday and his return to London means the rugby community has regained one of its most enthusiastic members, a player who describes himself as a changed man following two years with Stade, a short spell with Ricoh Black Rams in Tokyo and a Super 15 season with the Otago Highlanders.

To his detractors — and ‘The Hask’ knows there are many — his overseas trips are seen as an opportunity to list Paris, Tokyo, Dunedin and London after his name, mirroring great fashion houses, who like to highlight where their wares are available. It’s an easy stick to beat Haskell with because he has never lived in the shadows.

Social networking could have been invented just for Haskell and with 54,000 followers on Twitter, his own website plus numerous blogs offering fitness and training advice, Haskell is a one-man media outlet.

“I think social media is great,” he said. “In the early days I did put some jokey things up and for the people who do like to hate me it didn’t help. It isn’t about self-promotion and if I have an interest in a training product or kit I talk about it. No, I don’t get a kick-back for every tweet!

“I just try to engage with people with similar interests and rather than tweeting I got up and put on my socks, I will talk about a training programme I have just done and hope people will be interested and try it. I have an obsession about not sitting around doing nothing — other people like to play on their X-boxes.”

It is clear that each of Haskell’s rugby experiences in Paris, Tokyo and Dunedin have made an impact both on and off the pitch. He now regrets travelling back so often to England from Paris rather than remaining in the city. As a result, he avidly studied Time Out’s top 200 things to do in Tokyo and dressed in his best ‘Englishman abroad’ garb ticked off as many as possible.

In the rather more restrained and quieter environs of Dunedin, his passion for shooting saw him take on clays with team-mates, although only Haskell was turned out in regulation tweeds. “Thankfully, I shot really well looking like that because the other lads were in cut off jeans,” he admitted.

His time with clubs abroad, enabled Haskell to gain a clearer idea of how to improve his game and find the balance between gym work and skills ­sessions.

He said: “When I was in New Zealand I learned a lot about myself and what I need to do to perform well. I have been training and playing since the age of 14 and there are certain boxes I need to tick early in the week to ensure I feel good running out for a match. I take more time working on my core skills these days and if I could have my youth back I would spend less time in the gym and more playing touch rugby. I am always keen to learn and that has never changed.”

The end game is to help Wasps regain former glories and add to his 43 caps. Haskell was left out of the 32-man elite squad in July despite helping England draw 14-14 with South Africa in Port Elizabeth weeks earlier but is pressing for a call-up for the autumn Tests against Fiji, Australia, the Springboks and New Zealand.

The 27-year-old said: “I’ve had a great time since returning to Wasps and there is already a group of us doing extra training. My desire to play for England is never in question but it’s a progression thing and playing well for Wasps is the priority and that white shirt would be a bonus.”

James Haskell is ambassador for technical outdoor clothing brand Musto. For more information visit musto.com

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