England rugby player Ben Earl has spoken out about the power of prayer and trusting God’s plan, saying that he feels challenged as a Christian sportsperson.
Earl, who has earned more than 50 caps for the national team and toured with the British and Irish Lions, revealed that he came to Christ while studying for his A-Levels at Tonbridge School.
Known for hard carries and raw power on the pitch, the 28-year-old spoke about how his Christian faith influences his career, parts of his life he thinks can clash.
Speaking to David Jones on the David Jones Golf Goals YouTube channel, the forward talked about what he sometimes sees as a conflict between his career and personal faith, and how he trusts in God’s plan.
Earl said: “I sort of stumbled across faith as an 18-year-old with the stress of A-Levels to be honest. I found it very stressful, the exam period very stressful.
“I looked for more of a support and found it through my faith. I went to school where we were in church every morning and on Sunday nights, and I eventually bought in the thought that there’s something there.
“I’m really enjoying the aspect of stuff being sort of out of my control, what will be will be. Enjoy the journey, enjoy the ups and downs. I’ve loved it and it’s stuck with me since.
“Being a sportsman and Christian is tricky at times. It’s an inherently selfish occupation, you think about yourself more than you think about others and that goes against everything that Christianity preaches about”.
Earl is a brother in Christ to his Saracens and England captain Maro Itoje, who in 2025 spoke about how he is believing in God’s timing.
The two-time European champion admitted that he leans on his Christian teammates for allyship and support, while proudly talking about the significance of prayer.
“Some try and find something in the middle and I think it’s important”, he added, “a lot of people are full of faith at the club and at international level, and it’s important to stick around those people because they’re sort of your compass and your focal point when it comes to behaviours and day-to-day actions.
“It’s massively important, it’s a grounding element as much as anything. I pray daily morning and evening, I try and go to church as much as I can on a Sunday, fixture allowing.
“Praying is important, it’s important to have something to fall back on when things aren’t going right.
“You can talk to your mum, talk to your dad, you can talk to your girlfriend or wife, but sometimes it’s nice to talk to someone that doesn’t always give you the answer back or doesn’t try and comfort you. It’s just how you’re feeling and I feel like that’s quite comforting”.