Rugby: GOT star Kit Harington had to choose between acting, head-high tackles

Kit Harington plays "King of the North" Jon Snow in Game of Thrones. Photo/SKY

Jon Snow may "know nothing" on Game of Thrones, but actor Kit Harrington has revealed he knows a thing or two about New Zealand's national religion - rugby.

On the hit TV series, Harington plays the illegitimate son of a northern lord, who is banished, but returns home to be proclaimed "King of the North".

But in real life, the English thespian was also a dab hand at the 15-man code through his teens.

He told American TV host Rich Eisen: "I was a scrumhalf ... that means nothing to you, does it?

"Scrumhalf is the little guy - the smallest guy in the team."

"Scrappy," offered Eisen.

Kit Harington attends Giffoni Film Festival 2017. Photo/Getty Images

"Yeah, he's hard to catch," agreed Harington, who insisted he played to quite a high level. "He takes the ball out of the scrum and gets it out to the backs."

But inevitably Harington had to make the choice between his sporting career and acting. He remembered the tackle that changed his life.

"There's something that happens to young men when they go from being 16-17 years old to suddenly playing at 18 years old, and you know when young men become men.

"I got hit with a tackle - and I was in the drama society, as well as being in the rugby team - and I thought I had to protect this."

HIs face ...

"I had to protect the money-maker, and one more hit like that to my face and I could kiss acting goodbye."

Harington admitted he had pursed rugby and drama to chase girls.

"Being a jock and also being the mysterious, artistic one ... it was all motivated by chasing skirt."

Wonder if he had flashbacks, trapped at the bottom of that ruck in Battle of the Bastards?