It is not a subject often aired in international men’s rugby union but, hey, it is 2023, baby. So here goes: can nail polish improve athletic performance? In the view of Ollie Hassell-Collins, about to win his second cap for England, there is no doubt about it. “Absolutely,” he murmurs as we both gaze down at his red and white painted fingernails. “Look good, feel good, play good. I’m a strong believer in it.”
Good on the personable London Irish wing for having the courage of his convictions. It is not so long ago that England dressing rooms were full of unobtrusive black boots and keep-your-head-down reticence. Hassell-Collins, with his patriotic nail art and Harry Potter-loving snitch tattoo on his arm, is living, breathing proof of the new orthodoxy.
