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The rugby star that inspired 22 books and a blockbuster film series
By Online Editors
Author Lee Child has revealed the rugby-playing inspiration behind star character Jack Reacher.
Reacher is described as a 6'5" 113kg former military policeman that drifts around with nothing more than a folding toothbrush, investigating suspicious and dangerous situations.
The Jack Reacher series has spawned 22 novels and two films.
The film adaptations received backlash after diminutive actor Tom Cruise - who stands at just 1.7m tall - was cast as the lead character. Child has revealed in an interview with New Zealand's Radio Sport that Reacher's appearance and physique in the novels were based on an 85-test England loose forward.
"I based Reacher on a physical type of person which is huge and ugly," Child said. "There was an English rugby player called Lawrence Dallaglio.
"Think of him in his peak. He was a big guy.
"There is a very iconic picture of him - a photo of him - and he's got the ball in one hand, he's got these giant hands. He is exactly the sort of guy you would not mess with. Because he's big and he's also rather brutal-looking, not that I would ever say that to his face."
Child was then asked if Dallaglio knew he was part of the inspiration behind the character.
"I think he does," Child said. "At the time Martin Johnson was England captain - he was a Reacher fan and was kid of annoyed I wasn't basing it on him!"
Dallaglio is listed at 6'4" and 112kg, the almost exact measurables of his fictional counterpart. A back-row forward, Dallaglio appeared for England 85 times and spent his entire domestic career with Wasps, making 227 appearances between 1990 and 2008.
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I guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.
Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.
Go to commentsWhatever let's see if this load of waffle is still valid in 2 years time. ABs will rise we have a lot of new talent coming through. The NPC was the highest standard for years. The game is changing to suit the fast pace we like to play. We get to play the Springboks more, including the franchises, which will make us better! Overall I am optimistic. I will add having watched the England game multiple times we made most of the play. England are an awesome physical team, but you can expect the All Blacks to get better and better at executing the chances. It could easily have been 5 tries to one instead of 3 to 1.
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