15 Celebrities you didn’t know played rugby….

Believe it or not, the once most powerful man in the world played full-back at Phillips Academy, an independent boarding school, and Yale University. And yes, that is him in the photograph grappling with an opponent.

Obviously the best training for playing James Freaking Bond would be rugby, and so it was for Hoylake RFC’s most famous Old Boy. It also goes a long way towards explaining why Craig’s face looks like it’s absorbed a punch or two in its time.

Not only did he play, he even went on to buy the club he supported while growing up, the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Shouldn’t be surprised at his liking of rugby, given he has Welsh roots.

Imagine tangling with this bloke, who stood at exactly 7ft tall? Played as a teenager in Grenoble before switching sports to become one of the most famous wrestlers in history. Once dubbed ‘the eighth wonder of the world.’ Bet he played lock!

In the same year as Wales’ captain Sam Warburton at Whitchurch High School, the Real Madrid Galactico also played rugby in school before settling on his stellar football career.

The Manchester United and Wales wing wizard has also been heavily involved in rugby league, the sport at which Danny Wilson excelled as a professional for Swinton. Giggs earned rave reviews as young rugby league star before switching to football.

The Arsenal and Wales midfielder was another keen rugby player before turning to football. Played as a wing for Caerphilly RFC youth development programme, where he was approached by scouts from St Helens after playing in a youth match against them but had already been signed by Cardiff City’s football academy.

Developed an interest in rugby in England, playing prop at Oxford. It has been claimed that he played at Little Rock RFC in Arkansas, but they deny this.

According to a National Public Radio story, the Lord Of The Rings author played at Oxford while at school. Tolkien began playing rugby whilst a student at King Edward’s School, Birmingham, and promptly joined the rugby team upon commencement of his studies in 1911 at Exeter College, Oxford University.

The Duke of Cambridge once played rugby alongside actor Eddie Redmayne during their Eton school days, and his love of the game inspired the Welsh Rugby Union to establish The Prince William Cup in celebration of 100 years of rugby union history between Wales and South Africa.

The singer and activist attended Blackrock college in Dublin where he played rugby.

The ex-Labour Prime Minister was playing for Kirkcaldy High School in Fife at age 16 when he received a boot to the head that tore and detached his retina in his left eye.

This injury nearly blinded him, but didn’t stop him from earning a Ph.D. in history from the University of Edinburgh or taking over the PM slot from Tony Blair.

Cavill, who was born in Jersey, is a keen supporter of the island side who play in the Championship, the second tier of English rugby. He's also a keen England supporter.