The Wrestler star Mickey Rourke has spent three years getting in shape for his new rugby movie after realising he wasn't fit enough to portray gay sportsman Gareth Thomas authentically.

The movie star has been working on the Welsh sports star's life story for five years and now he's just about to start filming after shaping up to look like a rugby player.

He explains, "It's taken about three years of steady training... I went into the locker room and I was looking at these guys and I've never seen such physical specimens as these guys.

"At half-time there were at least four guys getting stitched up and one young kid, he was about 25, was eating a ham sandwich and he had a seven-inch gash (over his eye)... The doctor said, 'Can you sit still?' And he was looking at him like the doctor was nuts; he does it every day."