Love Island and rugby league don’t really go together in the grand scheme of things.
But, in the past few months, the two have been intertwined with former Castleford Tigers star Jacques O’Neill heading to the Majorca villa on the ITV2 show in a bid to find love.
Though his stay ended in unsavoury fashion after he left due to mental health issues, the rise to stardom has been meteoric and the 23-year-old now possesses a following of 1.3 million on social media.
When the idea of O’Neill first going on Love Island came around, however, the majority of the rugby league fraternity were confused as to why he would throw a rugby league career.
Now, though, with what can be achieved laid bare, there are potential murmurings of more stars heading into the villa.
And, for O’Neill’s former agent, Craig Harrison of Show Me The Money UK, he would take advantage of the media potential to send more rugby league players to give the game more airplay.
“I’d be sending the next one in, looking round clubs and saying who’s going to be the next one to follow Jacques?” Harrison said on The Full Eighty Minutes podcast.
“We’ve got more opportunity to get more coverage through him more than anything we are doing.
“We’ve got a few that look like Jacques, no offence to Jacques – we’ve got a few bonnie lads and smart, some of the rugby lads that go out are immaculate.
“I’d be sending next one in now. If I was Ralph I would be saying ‘who is the next one?'”
It remains to be seen whether more rugby league players would take the chance to go on the show, but, after witnessing O’Neill’s dramatic rise to fame, it could well convince others to go for it.
And, would anyone really begrudge them that opportunity?
Warrington Wolves
Exiled Super League star makes rugby league return
Warrington Wolves
Sam Burgess makes decision on future following South Sydney links
