Jacques O’Neill has quit Rugby League to join the villa on ITV’s Love Island.
The 23-year-old hooker has been released from his contract with Castleford Tigers to appear on the hit reality show.
Cumbria-born O’Neill came through the Castleford system and has made 29 first-team appearances since debuting in 2019, earning a place in the England Knights performance squad last year.
But he had been out of action for close to a year with a hamstring injury and has now chosen to take up a very different career opportunity.
Castleford say that they have “the first option to sign O’Neill back next year should he wish to return” to the sport.
Tigers head coach Lee Radford said he felt the player’s mind had already been made up when O’Neill informed him of his plans.
Radford told the Daily Star: “I have genuinely never had anyone sit me down and tell me they’re going into Love Island! It’s a first.”
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