What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen on the pitch?

An Australian player was about to put the ball into a scrum in one game and Tom Mitchell tapped him on the shoulder, then moved to the other side so he looked the other way – the old trick! It was a pretty intense moment so that was pretty funny.

Do you have any nicknames?

Bibs, Gonzo – anything to do with my nose. It’s the same for Charlie Hayter and Alex Davis – we’ve all got big noses. We once measured the length of each and I won! That’s the sort of fun thing we do on a day off.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

I’m a big fan of rom-coms, like How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days and About Time. There’s a myth that rugby players are big and hard but it’s a load of rubbish! When we have a movie night it’s never an action film, it’s always a rom-com.

What are your bugbears?

I’m pretty laid-back, so people being too serious annoys me. And bad drivers. I’m chilled out until it comes to bad drivers.

What about phobias?

The dark. I don’t like being on my own in the house. I live with my fiancée and leave her on her own all the time with rugby, but if she leaves me…

Do you have any superstitions?

I don’t walk over three drains in a row. I don’t like the number three in general. If I’d high-fived three people before a match, I’d search for someone else to do it with too.

Who’d be your three dream dinner party guests?

Peter Kay for the laughs. Muhammad Ali – he’s my sporting hero. And Megan Fox.

Sporting hero: Muhammad Ali inspired people around the world. Photo: Getty Images

What’s been your most embarrassing moment?

We were playing Portugal and needed a try to win and go through to the quarters. I managed to get clean through but someone tackled me when I was about half a centimetre from the line.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Teleportation, to just click your fingers and get where you want to go. We’ve had numerous discussions when waiting for, say, a 28-hour flight from New Zealand about how much we’d pay to be able to click our fingers and be home.

If you could be one of your team-mates, who would it be?

Tom Mitchell. He’s good-looking and clever, if a bit boring! Or Ethan Waddleton has a really chilled-out manner.

Leading man: Tom Mitchell is tackled by the USA’s Carlin Isles. Photo: Getty Images

What would you like to achieve outside of rugby?

I recently got engaged and I’m going to be a dad in September, so I’m looking forward to that family aspect.

How did you propose?
I printed off loads of photos of me and my girlfriend, Katie, then tied them to a piece of string and put it through the house. It was like a timeline of our relationship and the ring was at the end of the string.

How would you like to be remembered?

Just as a nice guy who had good morals.

This article originally appeared in the June 2016 issue of Rugby World. For the latest subscription offers, click here.