What do England Rugby players eat at Christmas?

England Rugby Union player Alex Mitchell revealed he will divert from his usual diet on Christmas Day and eat "what I want".

The 27-year-old and his teammates at Northampton Saints will have the day off from training, before returning to their usual schedule on Boxing Day.

Mitchell missed the beginning of the season after sustaining a neck injury, but he returned earlier this month.

He said: "I will be eating what I want and when I want, before we are back on Boxing Day."

The scrum-half added: "Some of the bigger players consume over 4,000 calories a day, maybe even 5,000."

Mitchell's team mate, George Hendy, said there were no rules for players on Christmas Day and it "depends on the individual" what they eat and drink.

"Thankfully I am on an all-I-can-eat diet," the full-back said.

"Eat what I want and when I want, so Christmas day will be incredibly fun for me."

Nineteen-year-old Henry Pollock, who has been considered one of the rising stars of English rugby, recently signed a new multi-year deal with the Northampton Saints.

But similar to his fellow players he said: "I will be eating as much as I can and want - that's for sure."

The team's next fixture is against the Newcastle Falcons and will take place at the Cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens - the home of the Northampton Saints - on 28 December at 15:00 GMT.

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