Rugby / News
Bristol rugby prop becomes cover star
A Bristol Bears star has made his proud debut on the cover of Men’s Health UK’s September issue.
In the cover interview, 30-year-old Ellis Genge, from Knowle West, spoke candidly about his childhood, being diagnosed with dyspraxia as a teenager and how sport saved his life.
He explained that when he first started playing rugby as a teenager in Brislington, he sometimes felt out of place. But that only spurred him on.
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He said: “When I first showed up at rugby in the West Country, there would be a sea of Range Rovers lined up. I didn’t have a strip, my PE kit was a black top. That was it. I would hear some of the lads behind the door at the camp slagging me off, but that’s where the villain in me was born. It was all fuel to the flames.”
Genge said that youth rugby was where “the villain” in him was born
Genge, who had multiple run-ins with the law as a child, also explained in the Men’s Health UK interview that, as a young person, he “wanted to be a in gang” but soon realised that “the reality of that is it leads to fuck all. Whereas if you’re a part of a club, you’ve got so many good memories and you ain’t going to get in trouble.”
Since then, the prop, who rejoined the Bears in 2022 after a brief period playing for Leicester Tigers, has had a successful rugby career and recently completed a British & Irish Lions tour.
As a member of the England national team, he will take part in the Six Nations Championship early next year.
However, he added in his interview, wherever he is in the world he never forgets where he comes from.
He said: “I get as much joy and pride playing for Bristol as I do representing England, and I wholeheartedly mean that. I take a tremendous amount of pride knowing that I’m from BS4 and all the Westerners are going to be behind me.”
Ellis Genge is Men’s Health UK’s September issue cover star
All images: Hamish Brown
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