Love Island star Jacques O’Neill left teammates baffled when he tried to microwave a can of beans at Castleford training, but he’s more ‘savior’ than people let on think so according to Captain Paul McShane.
O’Neill left the Super League club to take the chance to star on the ITV reality show and has the support of the Tigers according to his skipper.
“I watch snippets of it, but it was the moment I saw him kissing someone’s face that I had to turn it off,” McShane reveals on this week’s episode of the Love Rugby podcast. League.
“I had just had my tea and I thought I couldn’t watch this anymore.”
McShane, a close friend of O’Neill, took the player under his wing after O’Neill signed for Cas as a teenager.
“I spent a lot of time with him from the age of 16 and took him to training several times until he rode his pedal bike on the highway on the wrong side. and that I kinda wash my hands of him then,” the 32-year-old McShane recalled.
“Then I became friends with him again and he put a can of beans in the microwave in practice, a real full can of beans, so we were on the rocks again.
“You just have to support him. He’s a great boy and I hope he’s doing well. He and his family sacrificed a lot at a young age to leave Barrow and settle in Normanton, so hopefully he will do well for himself and his family.
keep it secret
Jacques O’Neill, 23, did his best to keep his shock career move a secret from his professional rugby teammates, who initially reacted in disbelief when the rumors first started.
“It was a tip of the hat, everything had to be kept secret and I don’t even know if the club knew much about it,” McShane added. “It was like ‘you’re kidding, aren’t you?'”
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McShane claims to have watched the show less than some of his castmates, but says he has seen enough of O’Neill’s time on the small screen.
“I was shocked that he could read the messages when they were texting! It was like a proud dad moment. He’s not the brightest but he’s a savvy kid and if he wanted to come back to rugby, he would go straight back to it.
“I hope he prepares his family for life, so all I do as a teammate and teammate is support him, but if he keeps embracing people, I’ll probably reject him.
“Me being a little chubby bald guy, I probably wouldn’t be invited to something like that. Jacques is the one who had the confidence to do it.
PODCAST: Paul McShane on play-off goals, England and Love Island
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