What Rugby Union Player has become an NFL running back?

[yeyearaya]

i remember when Lomu played, Nfl teams wanted to bring him to the NFL because of his athletic abilities...
do you know any player that has made that change? could it be possibly?

 

[InsaneAsylum]

not from rugby, but several AFL players have been singed as NFL kickers

darren bennet
ben graham
and now sav rocca

sav rocca played his first game of NFL recently and copped this hit
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uy0AdoTkC8k

 

[goranski]

didn't ellery hanley from british rugby league play a season or was signed by the London team in NFL Europe in the early or mid 90s....not quite the NFL obviously plus i remember reading it was kind of a publicity stunt - yet he did sign as a RB i believe

in any case both rugby league and rugby union are vastly superior games to gridiron...plenty of AF players couldn't hack it.

 

[Cymro]

Neil Jenkins was to sign as a field goal kicker but decided against it!

 

[DC]

naas botha tried to play for the dallas cowboys as a kicker, but it never worked out

right now ryan pretorius plays for the ohio state buckeyes (college) as the place kicker, he is a former pro rugby player (fly half)..

 

[Dmx#1]

I think Nonu would be a pretty good running back

 

[totalpakaj]

I'd love to see some crossover between topflight rugby and the NFL. On a Madden board I post on, some rugby fans were speculating as to where some NFL stars would play. I'd think RBs, receivers, tight ends, linebackers, and DBs would make good rugby players (provided they knew the laws and tactics, of course).

 

[MOGW]

habana would be NICE

 

[nam97]

Ma'a Nonu would be a perfect RB.

 

[jawmalawm24]

NFL players will have to be taught that there aren't seperate offense, defensive and special teams. You have to do all 3 when you play rugby depending on what position you play but I'm sure it won't take them too long to learn.

 

[Get In Lads!]

Scottish legend Gavin Hastings switched over to Gridiron to play a season with the Scottish Claymores in NFL Europe, or the World League of American Football, as it was then called.

He was widely mocked for it at the time, but was very successful, with the Scottish Claymores winning that season at Murrayfield and Hastings scoring most of the points.

 

[RC]

I heard rumours flying around about 4 years ago that Johnny Wilkinson was being offered vast sums to go and be a kicker in the NFL.

 

[Prestwick]

Yeah, I think some NFL franchises wanted to draft him as a quarter-back.

Better sort out that passing Jonny boy!

 

[el_tk]

The Miami Dolphins offered ROG a 4 year contract a few years back and I think Gonzalo Quesada played as a kicker in the NFL for a few years.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

The Miami Dolphins offered ROG a 4 year contract a few years back and I think Gonzalo Quesada played as a kicker in the NFL for a few years. [/b]

Are you sure? I think it's an urban legend.

About 5 years ago, George Hook wrote in the Sunday Independent that since O'Gara was born in the USA, his talents would probably warrant a contract as QB with an NFL team such as the Dolphins had he remained there. O'Gara's agent caught wind of the comments and concocted a story that ROG was indeed contacted by an NFL franchise, in order to boost his contact with the IRFU.

I'd wager that this version is true. O'Gara is too short to play QB, too slow to play anywhere else on offense and too weak to play defense. His leg isn't strong or accurate enough to play punter or kicker either.

 

[rugby_roots]

I played a little American football in high school.....I played linebacker..heheh

 

[melon]

I heard rumours flying around about 4 years ago that Johnny Wilkinson was being offered vast sums to go and be a kicker in the NFL. [/b]

I remember seeing that story in the Daily Telegraph directly after the 2003 RWC.

 

[Boggle]

Gary Anderson was born in Parys and raised in Durban, South Africa. He played Rugby and cricket in SA before moving to the US after finnishing highschool.



He's the NFLs most prolific point scorer.



They had a interview with him on Total Rugby once (It's an international rugby show so I'm not sure if you guys get it too)