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No stone unturned. Steelers workout Rugby star

antdrewjosh

antdrewjosh

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6-5 264 projected to TE. Receiving interest from multiple teams.
 
Lol I don't think so.
 
The NBA greatly benefits from international stars. Out of a maximum 450 players in the NBA, 101 of them were international players in 2014. This is 22% of the league. Such a number was unthinkable in the 1980's but in 2015 it's a reality.

I tend to think the NFL if they had a good high school system for players in Europe, would get their share for scholarship NCAA football players, and a percentage of them would be good enough to play in the NFL.

But asking a non-kicker rugby player to put on the pads and make a jump into the NFL without a football background seems like a long shot unless the player is an elite level athlete.

Does anyone have this guy's football work out numbers?
 
Coach said:
The NBA greatly benefits from international stars. Out of a maximum 450 players in the NBA, 101 of them were international players in 2014. This is 22% of the league. Such a number was unthinkable in the 1980's but in 2015 it's a reality.

I tend to think the NFL if they had a good high school system for players in Europe, would get their share for scholarship NCAA football players, and a percentage of them would be good enough to play in the NFL.

But asking a non-kicker rugby player to put on the pads and make a jump into the NFL without a football background seems like a long shot unless the player is an elite level athlete.

Does anyone have this guy's football work out numbers?
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I don't think football will ever take in other continents the way basketball did. They're too busy wasting their football fields playing soccer on them.
 
Coach said:
The NBA greatly benefits from international stars. Out of a maximum 450 players in the NBA, 101 of them were international players in 2014. This is 22% of the league. Such a number was unthinkable in the 1980's but in 2015 it's a reality.

I tend to think the NFL if they had a good high school system for players in Europe, would get their share for scholarship NCAA football players, and a percentage of them would be good enough to play in the NFL.

But asking a non-kicker rugby player to put on the pads and make a jump into the NFL without a football background seems like a long shot unless the player is an elite level athlete.

Does anyone have this guy's football work out numbers?
Click to expand...

American football training is different from most sports too. In that it requires explosiveness and strength. The rest of the world follows more endurance type training than a sport specific training. Which is why in most countries football,hockey,rugby do not have a big following.

To think NFL is more of a USA/somewhat canada thing
NHL has a lot of european players but hockey is not the top sport in those countries. Hockey is Canada/USA/Russia mostly
Rugby is Australia/New Zealand

But what those sports have in common is being big/explosive/physicality short burst training, etc

Most sports like Basketball, tennis, track, etc ask more for endurance rather than knocking someones teeth in
 
We should re-sign Archer for that.
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And somewhere in America, Dri smiled...
 
I can guarantee this guy is in shape and tough and nails.

Cant hurt to sign him and see what he can do.
 
He's a rugby league player not a rugby player. He'll never be a Gronk type athlete he doesn't have the speed. Comes from a group of four brothers that are all professional rugby league players. Older brother Sam is the elite one of the family. He'd make a phenomenal tight end.
 


If there was ever a rugby player that was going to make it in the NFL it was this guy. Jonah Lomu, he nearly signed with the Cowboys back in the 90's. Sadly died last month aged only 40.
 
MTC said:
Whoa!
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You have no idea 'whoa'. This kid is 23, 6'4, 260 (all muscle), runs the 40 meter in under five seconds (they say 4.6), bench-presses 160kg and squats 255kg. You've seen the film. He'd be a force.

He's fast enough to be a receiver. Big and violent enough to be a tight end. Might even be interesting at strong safety or OLB.

Point is that there are a few George Norths and lots of would be George Norths to be had. If they ever put a team in London, I wouldn't be surprised to see some on their roster. I'd love to see a few on our roster.
 
I would think that he'd be a better linebacker than a tight end. All the rugby league guys are great tacklers and it's much closer to the NFL in that there is much more short burst fitness. No idea if he's at enough as I tend to follow rugby union. Sam Burgess would be well worth a look though.
 
Vincent said:
You have no idea 'whoa'. This kid is 23, 6'4, 260 (all muscle), runs the 40 meter in under five seconds (they say 4.6), bench-presses 160kg and squats 255kg. You've seen the film. He'd be a force.

He's fast enough to be a receiver. Big and violent enough to be a tight end. Might even be interesting at strong safety or OLB.

Point is that there are a few George Norths and lots of would be George Norths to be had. If they ever put a team in London, I wouldn't be surprised to see some on their roster. I'd love to see a few on our roster.
Click to expand...

You want a current rugby union player it has got to be Julian Savea. His nickname is the Bus.

 
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I'm not sure tight end is the most prevalent need on our roster.
 
Sign some rugby guys. Go over the x's and o's over the offseason. Do it!!!
 
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