Anyone remotely familiar with James Haskell 's persona would consider the ex- rugby star as energetic, engaging and eminently excitable—each of which can work both for and against in the social media age.
But it wasn't always a foregone conclusion that he would emerge with such a bubbly exterior, both during his playing career and now as he explores his avenues outside rugby. Rather, it took years of reflection and reinforcement to overcome his early struggles against self-doubt.
It was 20 years ago now that Haskell, 37, first started seeing a psychologist as a means of improving performance. In that sense, the Berkshire native was ahead of the curve at a time when, had you asked a changing room of rugby players if they were talking to a mental health specialist, he'd be "the only one putting their hand up."
"I started along that path and found it incredibly useful, and then obviously uncovered that I probably struggled with my self-confidence," Haskell told The Mirror, speaking exclusively as part of the second series of the Under the Surface podcast, with menswear brand Original Penguin x CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably).
"Contrary to what people might think of my natural demeanour - I am a performer - I am quite hard on myself a lot of the time, perhaps didn't back myself as much as I should have done. I didn't deal with negativity or failure very well at times.
"That was something I consistently worked on, and it worked all the way through my career. I tried different approaches; I've spoken to hypnotherapists, teams of psychologists, always trying to find the best way of performing."
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It clearly served him well during a spectacular career that produced 77 England caps, one British and Irish Lions tour (2017), a home World Cup and club stints in France, Japan and New Zealand. Haskell retired at Northampton Saints in 2019, but his Premiership days will be most fondly remembered for his two tenures with Wasps, whom he helped win the league in 2008 (still their most recent title).
Never one to follow a crowd, the former I'm a Celebrity contestant—who recently welcomed his first child, a daughter, with wife Chloe Madeley—encountered push-back when he first started out. Haskell—who is now pursuing his dreams as a DJ—got creative when others called his pre-match podcast-listening or note-reading as "overthinking," investing in smaller headphones or hiding his research to avoid a rebuking.
"I've always been inherently selfish in regards to my own career," he continued. "When people told me not do something, I'd go and do it anyway. Paying for my own physiotherapists, doctors, nutritionists, sprint coaches, psychologists and therapists. You know, you only get one career and one life, and it doesn't matter what your opinion is, if I know it makes sense for me, I'm going to do it anyway."
The former England regular flourished on the rugby field in tough-to-manage situations, often putting himself in the firing line where others might shirk responsibility. It was those kinds of values that captured the attention of England head coach Eddie Jones, under whom he saw out his days in white.
Like him, Jones has also come in for scrutiny over the course of a long career in rugby, both for things he has said and for failing to meet the expectations placed on England at times. Four wins from a possible 10 across the last two Six Nations campaigns put the Australian back in the spotlight this summer, though a 2-1 series win over the Wallabies last month has eased pressures somewhat.
"I had five England coaches, and he [Jones] was far and away the best," praised Haskell. "He created the best environment, was the most professional, the most dedicated and knew how to get the best out of players. Does he always get it right? No. Does any coach? But he gets more right than he gets wrong."
The former flanker would put Jones "up there as the best coach I had during my career," but not everyone concurs. Namely, 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning strategist Clive Woodward is often among the incumbent's most vocal critics, but Haskell can't grasp the reasons behind his gripe.
"It's a hard one for me because the only person who appears to never be happy when Eddie Jones is doing well is Clive Woodward," he continued. "I don't know what it is about him, but he just seems to come after Eddie for everything. I find it very bizarre.
"Clive hasn't coached in rugby since 2005 and really has no concept of what's going on in the setup. He's desperate to sort of pick this job up between Eddie and the RFU —a sort of performance director role—and he's never going to get it [no matter how hard he tries]. I find it astounding really."
The criticism is arguably less helpful now than ever, with England a little more than one year out from their next World Cup. A series win Down Under, Haskell hoped, will be enough for everyone to 'finally shut up and give Jones a chance.'
There's one more World Cup on the horizon before then, though, as the Red Roses venture to New Zealand in October, one year later than planned. The Black Ferns were scheduled to defend their crown on home soil in 2021, but the tournament was postponed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It's a change that, in hindsight, could work in the Red Roses' favour after England already won major silverware in 2022. The country's Lionesses captivated record audiences as they won Euro 2022, and Haskell is eager to see their rugby equivalents—who have won the last four Six Nations titles—capitalise on a special summer for women's sport.
"What the Lionesses have done is amazing," he said. "Obviously football is a much bigger sport than rugby, and for a women's team to do it in football is massive because of how popular it is. But the Red Roses have had incredible success. They've won World Cups, they've won everything, but perhaps they haven't had the same media exposure and the platform they need, but people are now looking."
And therein lies the battle. Many who promote the women's game know full well the potential of its stars, and events like Euro 2022 help draw the eyes needed to engage further and encourage investment. Haskell is all for those stars getting the attention they deserve given "99 per cent of the Red Roses are already more successful than I'll ever be" given their World Cup win in 2014.
"I think the Lionesses put on a spectacle, showed the journey and those personalities, even the way they stormed the [post-final] press conference singing, the fun and levity they all had," he gushed. "The Red Roses have been doing that for a while, I just think we need to shine a light on it."
Haskell was speaking to The Daily Mirror in partnership with the Under the Surface podcast with menswear brand Original Penguin x CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably). To watch the second episode of series two, head to www.originalpenguin.co.uk/pages/calm-underthesurface.
