Dan Hipkiss
Rugby World caught up with ‘Bruno’ to talk about his band – Slo Progress [clip below], tidying up after people and a crush on an Angel, a Victoria Secret Angel.
RUGBY WORLD: You’re well known for playing the guitar. How did you get into it?
DAN HIPKISS: Well, I hate to admit it, but it was Sam Vesty’s idea that we formed a band at Leicester and Slo Progress was born. It’s great fun and gives me the chance to do some singing as well.
RW: Do you have any nicknames?
DH: It’s mostly camp stuff at Leicester, like Bruno. But Harry Ellis calls me Hippo, which I quite like, though it hasn’t caught on to be honest. It’s a seemingly friendly animal, but can be very dangerous.
RW: If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
DH: You’d get up to a lot of mischief if you were invisible, so it would have to be that.
RW: What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever seen or heard on the pitch?
DH: It has to be the guy from Southland Stags (NZ) who managed to get both his feet caught inside a headband on the pitch. That was only going to end one way.
RW: Are there practical jokers at Leicester?
DH: You always have to be careful because at any moment Lewis Moody could jump out and shout “Danger!” Ben Herring pulled a great one on some of the boys in the run-up to Christmas. He managed to get the addresses of 16 of them and sent them a Christmas card packed with glitter, so when you opened it the glitter went all over the floor! And the best part is he signed them from Sam Vesty, so Vesty was the one to get the stick.
RW: Do you have any phobias?
DH: It’s aeroplanes for me, I’m not a big fan of flying. I don’t like any of it: taking off, landing or being in the air. I have a theory, though, that if I can sit in an aisle seat at the front I still might be okay. I’ve convinced myself I’ll be okay in that seat even if we do crash.
Jokes, OCD and Almond croissants…
RW: What about bugbears?
DH: Things have to be clean and tidy in my house. I like all three remotes in a line, puffed-up pillows, made beds, straight duvets, that sort of stuff.
RW: So have you had untidy room-mates?
DH: I love the guy but Castro (Martin Castrogiovanni) is not the tidiest, as even he would admit. When we shared a room on a pre-season tour I ended up tidying up after him every day. I made a laundry bag for him and made his bed.
RW: What couldn’t you live without?
DH: Almond croissants. I don’t have them often because too much of a good thing can leave you wanting, but I love them.
RW: What’s your favourite joke?
DH: Is it okay if I tell a rude one? Two nuns are driving in a car and they go past a seedy old road late at night when a vampire comes out of the graveyard. The vampire lands on the bonnet and one nun says to the other: “Quick Mary, show him your cross.” Mary then says: “Get the f*** off our car!”
Adriana Lima - Victoria Secret Angel
RW: Who’d you like to be stuck in a lift with?
DH: Adriana Lima, the Brazilian Victoria’s Secret supermodel.
RW: If your house was on fire, what three things would you save?
DH: I’m not very materialistic. They’re only possessions so I’d get me and anyone else out as fast as possible and leave my stuff behind!
RW: What’s the silliest thing you’ve bought?
DH: A suit for Ben Kay’s testimonial Stars in their Eyes. I was Roy Orbison in a black suit.
RW: If a film was made of your life, who would you want to play you?
DH: Danny DeVito – he is halfway there with the name and short enough.
RW: What would you like to achieve outside of rugby?
DH: I know I’m only 27 but I’m already starting to look at life after rugby. I’m looking at a number of business ventures and I’m helping one old mate with his company, Lions Rampant.
RW: How do you want to be remembered?
DH: I won’t decide, so it will probably be short and camp.
Check out his profile for England
Check out Slo Progress…
Learn more about Dan’s teammates at England…