Max Hicks: From Pet Eel to Potential England Star

Newcastle's new signing, Max Hicks, has revealed a unique childhood, including keeping a pet eel and being compared to LeBron James. The New Zealand-born player, who is eligible to play for England, shared these details in an exclusive interview.

Hicks recounted a childhood experience of catching an eel from a creek and keeping it as a pet, feeding it leftover butter chicken. "It loved it," he said. His upbringing also included playing sports such as Australian Rules Football (AFL) and hockey, rather than the traditional rugby pathways. This led to a career in rugby seeming like an unlikely prospect for him at one stage.

To fund his rugby aspirations, Hicks worked as a trainee builder. Coincidentally, his colleague on the building site was Ethan Roots, who is now an England-capped flanker for Exeter. Hicks has quickly made an impression since joining Newcastle, playing only two Premiership games but already establishing himself.

Beyond his sporting and work life, Hicks is also skilled at waterskiing, a pastime he picked up living by the coast in New Zealand. During Newcastle's pre-season camp at the Red Bull headquarters in Austria, Hicks surprised his teammates with his waterskiing abilities on Wolfgang Lake.