England star goes naked for Rugby World Cup

English rugby star James Haskell has gone naked to celebrate the World Cup. Photo / Twitter.

English rugby star James Haskell has gone naked to celebrate the World Cup - and says he has New Zealander Warren Gatland to thank for the inspiration.

Haskell has posed in his birthday suit for popular English publication, Sport Magazine, saying his is willing to lay his body on the line over the next six weeks as England seek to win the World Cup on home soil.

The 30-year-old back rower says he only had the confidence to pose naked for the cameras after bulking up his physique years ago at the insistence of former All Black Gatland, now the head coach of England's bitter rivals Wales.

This week's Sport Uncovered is England's Man Mountain: @jameshaskell http://t.co/EobbFBBu2E http://t.co/xPjeX3LLHI

— Sport Magazine (@SportMagUK) September 17, 2015

Haskell said that early in his professional career, Gatland "locked" him in a gym for six months to build up muscle when the pair were both at English club Wasps.

The 30-year-old's bare-all comes after a similar appearance by his girlfriend, English media personality and fitness guru Chloe Madeley who posed naked for Women's Health magazine earlier this year.