The Super League club who should try and sign Jacques O’Neill

Jacques O’Neill dropped a bombshell on the rugby league world when he left Castleford Tigers to try his hand at reality TV show Love Island.

It initially went well for the former hooker and he was one of the favourites to win until he dropped out of the show.

Since then, O’Neill has done a lot to promote mental health and the like and has also helped promote Super League appearing on the likes of Sky Sports as a pundit.

But the big question has always been, will he return to rugby league?

On Sky Sports he suggested that a return could be close:

“I’m hoping soon, I’m hoping sooner than I thought, I’ve got to be honest. I miss it. When you love something when you’re a kid, you miss it. I want to be back.”

So, O’Neill could be set to return to rugby league sooner rather than later.

If he did, the Tigers would have first dibs on him.

If he was to re-join the Tigers, he believes he would be joining a strong team with the former Cas man backing them for a big year.

He said:

“They’ve signed really well, last year they had a few injuries in the halves.

“This year with Gareth Widdop and Jacob Miller I think they’ll go really well.

“Paul McShane will just be able to do his job and they’ve just got Westerman at 13 as well who will run the team too. I think if they’re not looking at top four this year, top five, then I think they should be.”

However, the size of the Tigers’ squad means that a move back to the Jungle may not be the likeliest despite the fact they have first shot at bringing him in.

In truth, his time out of the sport perhaps makes his likeliest destination outside of Super League but there is one Super League club who would be the perfect club for O’Neill: Leigh Leopards.

The club have been open about wanting to make more signings but have no more quota spots so from a rugby point of view O’Neill would provide them with much needed depth with just 27 players in their first team squad but with a club always thinking about expanding their brand after their rename, he would fire their club to a whole new audience.