10 months ago
A Hollywood prima has revealed he played rugby until he was 23 and moreover represented his country, earlier yet dedicating himself to acting full-time.
The one-time Academy Award victor played for Spain astatine world level and attended nan Rugby World Cup semi-final betwixt Argentina and New Zealand past month.
And contempt acknowledging rugby suffered from a deficiency of support successful his country, nan character packed down successful scrums for immoderate 15 years.
No Country for Old Men prima Javier Bardem revealed up of nan All Blacks' semi-final triumph against Argentina that he played for Spain.
'I played for Spain,' Bardem told erstwhile Scotland world Jim Hamilton.
This Hollywood prima played rugby for Spain immoderate 30 years ago, tin you recognise him?
The Oscar-winning character played arsenic loosehead prop for Spain earlier retiring aged 23
'I started erstwhile I was 9 years aged and I played until I was 23. I emotion it, it is my passion.
'I’m ever saying that playing rugby successful Spain is for illustration being a bullfighter successful Japan.
'It didn’t make immoderate consciousness backmost past but now, convey God, location is simply a batch of support successful Spain for rugby.'
Asked what made him autumn successful emotion pinch rugby, Bardem replied: 'It’s my favourite athletics of them each because of nan ethics, because of nan national of nan team, because of nan respect to nan chap players and nan referees.
'The morals of rugby are amazing.
'I don’t for illustration lately that group are whistling erstwhile nan players are kicking. We are amended than that.
'We person a batch of lessons to springiness to nan kids and 1 of nan things I emotion astir rugby is nan morals – respect nan kicker.'
The Skyfall star revealed he utilized beryllium a prop and played alongside his brother, Carlos.
'I was a prop, judge it aliases not, a mini prop, number three,' he explained.
Bardem revealed he played rugby from nan property of 9 until he was 23
The 54-year-old character attended nan Rugby World Cup semi-final betwixt New Zealand and Argentina past month
'My relative Carlos and I, we were called "Los Mendrugos", which is nan difficult portion of nan bread.'
Unsurprisingly, however, Bardem does not regret swapping nan oval for nan glitz and glamour of Hollywood.
'I don’t person a 140kilograms train wreck coming towards maine to tackle,' he said.
'I consciousness way, measurement safer making a movie than being location [on nan rugby pitch] for 1 minute.'
