Are there any top players who were late starters to rugby?

[rugbygal]

In the past 10 years especially, since rugby is such a competitive sport to get into elite squads: have there been any elite players, men or women who were remarkably late starters to the sport?

I am 19 and only started playing rugby this season at a very good club. I'm not great, but am definitely improving a lot. It would be cool to know that there's been England elites in the past or currently who didn't pick up a ball till they were 17/18 or older. I only know of Shelley Rae and that was years ago when women's rugby wasn't doing so well (not to belittle her achievements at all! But I'm sure it's even harder now). How does it all work, can you only get into England squad through playing U20s, and before that playing at divisional level (or whatever is before)?

I obviously don't expect to make England Women EVER, nor do I plan to, I'm mostly asking as I am new and don't know how it all works, what the expectations and possibilities are

Second, is anyone here playing at a high standard, like representative rugby for example (county, divisional etc), who started late in life? I'm sure one day it would be nice to maybe get to a level where I was good enough to play for my county.

Lots of questions, I'm curious sorry! Thanks everyone!

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Thierry Dusautoir was only 16 when he started playing rugby and look at were he is now

 

[NamWarrior]

i'd say there's definitely more chance of making progress into the women's game from a later age than the men's.

good luck

 

[Big Ewis]

Thierry Dusautoir was only 16 when he started playing rugby and look at were he is now

hah, didn't even know that :lol:
Welcome, and interesting thread, balgyrub, I do recall French int'l prop Rabah Slimani started quite late as he was in the Parisian region and started out playing footie and eventually turned to Rugby coz they told him to try it out looking at his proppious figure and he did as a teen a believe and got good at it fast and stuck with it, which of course is an absolute benediction given the relative abyss it is in France at the TH position. French grunty props, where art thou ? :cryy:

So as a Frenchman, I'd tell you it's those stories of late bloomers outside of the South (southwest in particular), like some of the academy guys at Paris or Racing Métro, or one-offs from the North, that are more common. Southwest, kids play Rugby in the womb. So it'd be a very odd destiny for someone to avoid (probably purposely) Rugby his whole childhood before actually joining in later and succeeding to the point he's good/famous enough to be mentioned here.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Rokoduguni has only been playing pro for like 3 years ? Now an England intl'

 

[Croket66]

Former Biarritz lock Jerôme Thion, 54 caps for France, started rugby at 21
and current Toulon flanker Mamuka Gorgodze, 57 caps and top try scorer of Georgia started at 17 and played his first game for Georgia at 18.
Both played previously basketball

Last 3 seasons, some wrestlers from Russia and Georgia started to play rugby.
Innokenty Zykov won a world wrestling tournament, he started rugby in 2011 (at 29 or 30 years old) and play for Russia rugby team since 2012 (21 caps)
This year, Soso Jabidze, who competed at the 2012 Olimpic Games started rugby in Georgia
other names here : http://estxv.blogspot.fr/2014/12/soso-jabidze-des-jeux-olympiques-au.html

US rugby sevens star Carlin Isles started rugby in 2012 at 22 or 23 years old, but with a Track and Field athlete background. Before rugby he was the 36th fastest sprinter in the United States with a 100 metres outdoor personal best of 10.24 seconds. He also played previously American Football.

But all of these players played previously another sport before rugby...

 

[Big Ewis]

Former Biarritz lock Jerôme Thion, 54 caps for France, started rugby at 21

haha, see. He's from the North. Probably randomly fell into it and loved it. Former French captain* also for a while in fact ! He used to be called "bras" because of the size of his arms lol.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Ali Williams was a football goalie at high school, he didn't pick up rugby until after he finished.

 

[Saint2014]

Courtney Lawes started at 16 and previously played basketball

 

[Rich Taff]

I think AWJ was a basketball player for Wales, but pretty sure that was whilst playing Rugby.
I'm not trying to be patronising, or sexist, but I think that in the womens game, I think you have a better chance of going into the sport at a later age, as there's not as much chance of a 'growth spurt', and there's not such a huge difference in size as the mens game.
Not sure how much sense that made, but I've just had by first beer for 4 months, so struggling atm

 

[Peat]

Nick Easter took up the pro game pretty late. Tom Court converted from shot putting when he was 23/24. Matt Symons started life in an academy but gave up for rowing, but came back to rugby aged 22. Ben Morgan is another who only started the pro game in his early 20s.

For a lot of positions, rugby's 90pc about athleticism, working hard, and not being stupid. If you have those three things, you can go a long way. It's worth noting a lot of the remarkable converts came from doing very well in another sport - they already had the athleticism and work ethic.

 

[rugbygal]

This is really interesting, thanks everyone. I didn't know that about any of these players.
I don't come from a "sporty" background per se, but I have been active my whole life. Rugby is my first team sport really (of course I played netball and footy in PE but never was on an actual team). I was always good at athletics, long distance/cross country running in particular. I now do a lot of high intensity workouts and weightlifting stuff to supplement the rugby. Would love to get really fit, fast and strong! I work hard too.

Maybe I have a chance of going further after a few seasons. I work extremely hard. I'm athletic (and working on it). I need more experience in the game, the tactical bit is what throws me I think. I play as a back and don't know a lot of the team's moves yet, and need to get my head round all the laws so that I don't hesitate in certain situations. I suppose after you've played a season or two it is all super natural.

Rich & Nam, I understand what you mean about the women's game being easier to get into and I don't take offence! I suppose in women's rugby there's a smaller pool of talent, less difference in size between positions and levels - the England women are all normal sizes like the rest of us, just with better abs - and maybe since it isn't a standard sport for girls at a young age like for boys, more of us come to the sport at university age. I've heard there's around 18,000 women playing our game in England - does anyone know how many males play (at any level)?

 

[Kempistry]

My only advice to a new player, especially in the backs where there is more opportunity for indecisiveness, is to always err on the side of aggressiveness and be decisive. Better to go 110% and occasionally mess up than go 60%, not contribute, and likely still mess up. You'll learn at the same rate either way.

 

[bric6]

I remember hearing somewhere that Martin Castrogiovanni didn't start playing until he was 18 because his mum thought rugby was too rough. Also, apparently he's allergic to pasta, which is just a bit ironic.

 

[Irishkid]

Launchbury started playing at 17 before he played county cricket and was a goalkeeper at football.

 

[Icemn]

didn't Chris Latham only start playing rugby at a later age? he is the 2nd highest try scores for AUS i think :?

i think he use to play football, either soccer of Aussie Rules not sure, maybe both...