Sweet story behind rugby player's painted nails

Remember erstwhile All Blacks midfielder Ma'a Nonu admitted to wearing eyeliner successful large rugby games backmost successful 2004?

Then Nonu's large metallic booted Welsh rival Gavin Henson revealed successful 2005 that helium utilized to shave his legs and slap connected hairsbreadth gel earlier kickoff.

New England helping Ollie Hassell-Collins is the latest rugby subordinate unafraid to basal retired successful the assemblage done a spot of self-expression.

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The 1.92m 104kg extracurricular backmost has begun coating his fingernails reddish and achromatic successful accepted St George emblem colours for Six Nations tests.'

England's Ollie Hassell-Collins warms up with his painted nails anterior to the Six Nations Rugby lucifer betwixt England and Italy astatine Twickenham. (Clive Mason via Getty Images)

The 24-year-old – London Irish's archetypal England trial starter for 9 years – told The Guardian helium didn't expect to acceptable a caller rugby trend, but he'd been emboldened to decorate his nails by his spouse Eloise.

"My woman gave maine a batch of assurance to effort it. She'd say: 'Just bash it.' And I benignant of liked it. It conscionable grew from there," helium said.

"Previously I'd thought astir it but ne'er really did it. I don't expect each rugby subordinate volition beryllium coating their nails immoderate clip soon but it's conscionable me. It's the mode I am. I don't spot immoderate constituent successful changing that."

Ollie Hassell-Collins seen wearing painted nails during training. (David Rogers via Getty Images)

Hassell-Collins, who made his England debut against Scotland astatine Twickenham a week ago, usually sports greenish and achromatic nails – London Irish's colours – for nine games.

A prolific scorer for London Irish (39 tries successful 90 games), helium told England Rugby's Instagram leafage his nails were "obviously reddish and achromatic for England'' astatine Test level.

Hassell-Collins, a Harry Potter fan, has a Golden Snitch tattoo connected his limb and is known for taking his 3 cats, Betsy, Albus and Marmalade, for walks.

He said connected the Instagram leafage that the nails fad was "kind of this season''.

"I deterioration rather a batch of jewellery, and evidently I can't deterioration jewellery successful games truthful I accidental it's similar my imperishable jewellery," helium said.

Hassell-Collins said helium "used to wound my nails truthful I was coating them clear'', but "decided to jazz them up a small bit''.

Ollie Hassell-Collins of England is tackled by Kyle Steyn of Scotland during the Six Nations Rugby lucifer betwixt England and Scotland astatine Twickenham Stadium. (Getty)

And bash the nifty nails springiness Hassell-Collins an edge?

"Absolutely,'' helium told The Guardian earlier playing successful England's 31-14 triumph implicit Italy connected Monday. "Look good, consciousness good, play good. I'm a beardown believer successful it."

And what bash rugby traditionalists think?

Former Taranaki dairy husbandman Kieran Crowley – an All Black fullback from 1985 to 1991 – present coaches Italy.

'Colt' Crowley was asked by the Agence France-Presse quality bureau aft the England Test, however he'd respond if 1 of his players daubed his fingernails successful Italian colours.

"They are grown men, they tin bash what they want," Crowley said.

"As agelong arsenic it doesn't impact their performance, erstwhile it starts to impact their performance, I mightiness accidental something."

England people archetypal Six Nations triumph nether Borthwick

After Scotland bushed them 29-23 successful their archetypal circular encounter, England bounced backmost for triumph successful the 2nd circular of the Six Nations with a 31-14 triumph implicit Italy.

It marked the archetypal triumph for England nether its caller manager Steve Borthwick, who replaced Eddie Jones astatine the helm.

Scotland continued their momentum successful the 2nd round, downing Wales 35-7 successful a demolition derby astatine Murrayfield.

It's the archetypal clip since 1996 that Scotland has taken back-to-back wins successful the tournament.

The astir highly anticipated lucifer each play was that of Ireland against France successful Dublin.

The visitors, who conceded their hopes were slim days retired from the contest, suffered a 12-point decision - France going down 32-19 to Ireland.

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