love island jacques

Who is Love Island bombshell Jacques?

The rugby player once dated Gemma Owen…

Senior Features Writer
June 13, 2022

Love Island welcomed another bombshell contestant over the weekend – and what a bombshell it was! 

MORE: When is the Love Island final?

Jacques O'Neill waltzed into the villa to take Paige and Afia on a date, but Gemma Owen was left feeling shocked as it turns out the pair have history. So who is Jacques? We've done some investigating and found out all you need to know…

WATCH: Jacques opens up about his split from Gemma Owen

Jacques O'Neill is a 23-year-old rugby player from Cumbria, who previously played for Castleford Tigers in the Rugby League. According to Gemma, 19, the pair dated for eight months before they called it off 18 months ago. But despite their short-lived romance, it seems Jacques is on the hunt for The One.

Prior to entering the villa, he told ITV his reasons for signing up for the dating show. "I was saying to my mum the other day that I want a girl and to settle down. I’ve done all my bits…

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© Photo: ITV

Jacques enjoyed a date with Paige and Afia

"I split up with my ex and then I was seeing someone else. I was concentrating so much on my rugby and then I had that injury. I think it needs to be the right person, at the right time."

On how he'd make a good boyfriend, the sportsman added: "I'm loyal, I'm respectful and I've got good manners. I'll look after someone close to me to the full extent I can. I would have a baby in two or three years. I think I'd be good with babies too, they'd be good looking wouldn't they?"

© Photo: Instagram

Jacques is a rugby player from Cumbria

Jacques has an impressive following on Instagram, with over 50 thousand followers already and that number is only sure to rise. The Islander often shares snaps of his rugby career as well as his social life on his page, which you can follow @jacques9oneill.

The reason for Jacques and Gemma splitting up has not yet been given in great detail. However, Gemma, once she was over the shock of seeing her ex, seemed pretty cool about him being there and assured Luca, her new love interest, that the pair could be good friends.

However, when Jacques was on his date with Afia, he admitted the split wasn't necessarily amicable. Watch out for drama…

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