Notorious pitch invader gatecrashes England vs Australia as security slammed

A notorious prankster pulled off his latest stunt by invading the pitch seconds before England and Australia's rugby league match. 'Jarvo 69' lined up with the Australian team ahead of their national anthem at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday before being carted off by security.

Stadium staff have been criticised for failing to stop him. "That is a true embarrassment," one fan posted on X. "Well known pitch invader Jarvo has managed to get into the pitch, stand with the Aussies, sing the national anthem while getting on TV…."

England are facing Australia in the second of three matches for the revival of rugby league's Ashes. It's the first of its kind since the Kangaroos won the series 3-0 on English soil in 2003.

Last weekend, the nations clashed at Wembley. Australia romped to a 26-6 win before the action moved to Merseyside. They'll also play at Leeds Rhinos' Headingley Stadium next Saturday, November 8.

'Jarvo 69' is the alias of Daniel Jarvis, who fans may recall was the mastermind behind some other high-profile sporting pranks. In September 2024, he tried to line up with the England football team ahead of their Nations League match against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.

The prankster infamously interrupted Sky Sports' transfer deadline day coverage with a sex toy and sneaked into the closing ceremony at the Paris Olympic Games, dressing up as a member of Team GB.

Jarvis notoriously played a chorus of sex noises during the BBC's live coverage of an FA Cup game involving Liverpool and Wolves, and he also interrupted the Euro 2024 draw in similar fashion.

His antics during a Test cricket match between England and India at the Oval in 2022 saw him found guilty of aggravated trespass. Jarvis ran onto the field wearing Indian whites and collided with England star Jonny Bairstow and was subsequently handed a suspended sentence.

District Judge Daniel Benjamin commented: "Players and sporting officials do not know whether a person crossing the boundary is intent on doing them physical harm.

"Even if the person is not intent on doing physical harm, as your own conduct shows it is possible for physical contact to be made with a player inadvertently, risking such harm. As with any other member of the public, players and officials deserve to feel safe within their workplace.

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