From Rugby to Raves: How James Haskell’s Mentorship With Mark Knight Led to “Go Deep”

It may sound far-fetched for rugged rugby players to swap scrums for turntables, but former England player-turned-DJ, James Haskell, says that’s exactly what happened when he began learning the craft of DJing 11 years ago.

Haskell, along with other rugby players in New Zealand, would alchemize their post-match adrenaline into energetic DJ sets, picking up new skills and that ultimately gave him the confidence to land gigs.

Haskell’s career as an international rugby player is now over, but his calling in the world of electronic music continues to pick up speed. He has performed across the globe from Dubai to Ibiza and continues to host his own radio show and podcast about DJing.

Haskell has now joined forces with Mark Knight, the influential Toolroom Records boss and recipient of the 2024 EDMA Icon Award, for his first release on the label, “Go Deep.” Blending groove with grit, the house track is primed to heat up any dancefloor, as vocals by Chicago house music legend Gene Farris carry a soulful invitation to dance the night away.

EDM.com caught up with Knight and Haskell to discuss the collaborative process behind “Go Deep.”

EDM.com: How did you two first meet?

Mark Haskell: It felt like it was meant to happen. James got involved with the Toolroom Academy early on, which I really respected because he understood the value of starting at the bottom and learning for himself instead of expecting others to do it for him. We first spoke online about a record, and I immediately thought, “We’re going to be mates.” I was already a fan of his as a rugby player and was keen to chat about sport. We started talking more, clicked as friends, and then he came down to the office to get involved with some projects.

James Haskell: We first connected on Instagram, back in 2018, during the very first Toolroom Academy course. I did the course, posted about it, and Mark commented and messaged me, saying to get in touch if I ever fancied a training session. After that, I’d often drop into the Toolroom office to say hi to the team. One time, while working with Luke Hemmings in the office, Mark and I hit it off, and it’s been like that ever since.

EDM.com: James, when did you realize you wanted to pursue DJing and what has the transition been like from international rugby player to DJ?

James Haskell: I’ve been DJing for about 11 years. It all started when I was in New Zealand during my rugby career. I met the managing director of Serato, who was helping a few All Blacks players, including Dan Carter, learn to DJ. I thought it sounded fun, so I gave it a go. Adam Thomson helped me get started, and I used to mess around on a controller after games. P Money even gave me a few lessons. When I got back to the UK, I found out Simon Dunmore was a fan of mine, and both Seb Fontaine and Jaguar Skills gave me some lessons.

I eventually did a course with SubBass and had my first gig at Ministry of Sound on the balcony. That’s when I fell in love with it.The transition, though, has been tough. Rugby opened some doors initially, but it’s also created challenges. People assume I’m just a “celebrity DJ,” which couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ve put in the work, playing tiny venues for little to no money. I’ve taken multiple courses and worked hard at producing music. I want to earn respect for my skills, not my profile.

EDM.com: James, do you draw any parallels between music and sports?

James Haskell: Absolutely. Everything I learned in rugby applies to music and DJing. It’s about working hard, going above and beyond, and breaking down every aspect of your craft. In rugby, we’d review matches to analyse what we did well and where we could improve. I take the same approach with DJing—watching my sets back, identifying what could be better, and constantly trying to improve. Resilience is key. You have to keep pushing, learning, and honing your skills.

EDM.com: Mark, tell us about your mentorship of James.

Mark Knight: I don’t really see it as a mentorship in the traditional sense. I’m happy to share everything I’ve learned over the years, but it’s more about mutual respect. James has a fantastic work ethic and a real hunger to succeed, which I admire. I’ve made plenty of mistakes, and I’m open about them, sharing what I’ve done right and wrong along the way.

What I love about James is his energy and authenticity. The dance music scene was built on raw passion and confidence, but over time, it’s become a bit elitist. James brings it back to that original spirit, where passion and drive are everything. If you’ve represented your country in sport at the highest level, you’ve already proven you can succeed under immense pressure. That kind of mindset translates to anything.

EDM.com: How did your song “Go Deep” come to be? When did you two decide you wanted to work on a track together? 

Mark Knight: Like every record, it started with an idea. The first step was to have a conversation about what we wanted to achieve. We sat down, played a bunch of tracks, and landed on a clear direction. James led the production and really rolled up his sleeves. It was my concept initially, but we worked on it together. We brought Gene Farris in for the vocal, and it became a proper collaboration. James has invested a lot in learning from others, and that’s what makes him such a great collaborator.

James Haskell: Out of all the people I’ve met, Mark is one of the few who genuinely wanted to help. We’re both driven by a desire for success, and we connected over that shared mindset. I’m always keen to learn, so when Mark suggested we work on something, I jumped at the chance. He guided me heavily—quite ruthlessly, in fact—which I appreciated.

EDM.com: What is the collaborative process like between you two?

James Haskell: The process started with Mark sharing some reference tracks. He sent me away to do my homework and build a loop. Then I sat down with our engineer, James Hurr, to develop it further. Once we had something solid, Mark joined us, and we worked on it together. Gene Farris was the perfect choice for the vocal; he’s a legend, and he nailed it on the first take. It’s been a true team effort, and I’ve learned so much from Mark throughout the process.

Follow James Haskell:

Instagram: instagram.com/jameshaskell
Facebook: facebook.com/JamesHaskellJHHF
X: x.com/jameshaskell
TikTok: tiktok.com/@jameshaskell
Spotify: bit.ly/3ZopzzI

Follow Mark Knight:

Instagram: instagram.com/djmarkknight
Facebook: facebook.com/djmarkknight
X:x.com/djmarkknight
Spotify: spoti.fi/44KXzHr