The Rugby Union Thread

Pjon

joneve said:  The minimum salary in the NFL is $750,000 so he wouldn't be hard up.

Is that the minimum salary in the International Player Pathway? ie the minimum he would earn? 

There's also the anonymity that he'll have compared to the constant scrutiny of playing rugby for Glos and Wales. That can't be at all pleasant.

crunchman

Pjon said:

joneve said:  The minimum salary in the NFL is $750,000 so he wouldn't be hard up.

Is that the minimum salary in the International Player Pathway? ie the minimum he would earn? 

There's also the anonymity that he'll have compared to the constant scrutiny of playing rugby for Glos and Wales. That can't be at all pleasant.

$750k is if he makes a 53 man roster.

scrumhalf

 Good luck to him, but he should have a word with Christian Wade first. 

elstoof

If it all goes tits up he can do the next Gladiators reboot, like Alex Gray

joneve

crunchman said:

Pjon said:

joneve said:  The minimum salary in the NFL is $750,000 so he wouldn't be hard up.

Is that the minimum salary in the International Player Pathway? ie the minimum he would earn? 

There's also the anonymity that he'll have compared to the constant scrutiny of playing rugby for Glos and Wales. That can't be at all pleasant.

$750k is if he makes a 53 man roster.

Yea he’d earn less than he does with Glos now if he makes a practice squad (around $250k). Still difficult. I agree it’s not all about pace but route running is a fine art to beat the best defenders the league has to offer. I genuinely hope he cracks it. I’ve seen friends play Division 1 NCAA college football (the highest standard of college football) but having someone legitimately from the UK breaking into a 53 man roster at a skill position no less, would be great to see 

TJT1979

Terrible news for Wales. Good luck to him. 

bertie

George named as skipper for 6 Nations !!

England's Six Nations squad

Forwards: Ollie Chessum, Dan Cole, Alex Coles, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Chandler Cunningham-South, Ben Curry, Theo Dan, Alex Dombrandt, Ben Earl, Ellis Genge, Jamie George (capt), Joe Heyes, Nick Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, Joe Marler, Beno Obano, Tom Pearson, Ethan Roots, Will Stuart, Sam Underhill.

Backs: Oscar Beard, Danny Care, Elliot Daly, Fraser Dingwall, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, George Ford, Tommy Freeman, George Furbank, Ollie Lawrence, Alex Mitchell, Tom Roebuck, Henry Slade, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith, Ben Spencer, Freddie Steward.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67999266

exocet

TJT1979 said:

Terrible news for Wales. Good luck to him. 

I guess that the risk for him is minimal. The NFL environment is brutal, he'll know pretty quickly whether he's going to make it through to a franchise or not - he may end up missing only one 6N and half a season with Gloucester. I don't blame him for grabbing the opportunity - a Professional Rugby Players career is very precarious for many with limited earning potential when viewed from a lifetime earning perspective.

crunchman

exocet said:

TJT1979 said:

Terrible news for Wales. Good luck to him. 

I guess that the risk for him is minimal. The NFL environment is brutal, he'll know pretty quickly whether he's going to make it through to a franchise or not - he may end up missing only one 6N and half a season with Gloucester. I don't blame him for grabbing the opportunity - a Professional Rugby Players career is very precarious for many with limited earning potential when viewed from a lifetime earning perspective.

Even if he gives it a bit longer he could still come back to rugby at 24 or 25 and have years ahead of him.

rsvmark

I was speaking to a friend of mine who knows NFL well and also has played the game at European level…. And is a saints fan.

in his opinion there was nothing wrong with Wade’s speed, but it was his fundamental lack of understanding of the game that resulting in him not being ultimately successful. Iirc He did make the Buffalo Bills team I think.

Fundamental  skill of the ball carrier is how they work with their blockers as they work their way down field. While the ball carrier is fast annd elusive, working with the blockers is essential ans they effectively clear the way and take out defenders. Apparently (not that I would know) Wade used to leave his blockers for dead and go solo…. Only for him to be mown down by bigger defenders en masse. His lack of size then put him at a disadvantage.

All that might be utter bollocks but as others have said, good luck to LRZ.

crunchman

At 5'9" Wade was really only ever likely to be primarily a returner.  At 6'3" LRZ has a lot more possibilities.  Teams are more likely to be willing to put a younger player on their roster and give him a bit of time to develop as well.  With Wade going over there at 27, he had to be close to the finished article.

He may come back in 6 months, but from his point of view it's definitely worth a try.

koneguitarist

At 22 he can afford to take 2 years out, if he is not gonna make it, he can come back fitter and possibly faster than before for RWC 2027, and will still be young enough for 2031.

fretmeister

Harry Mallinder is having a try too. But as a dedicated kicker rather than anything else.

crunchman

fretmeister said:

Harry Mallinder is having a try too. But as a dedicated kicker rather than anything else.

He can't be worse than the Steeler's punter.

Pjon

koneguitarist said:

At 22 he can afford to take 2 years out, if he is not gonna make it, he can come back fitter and possibly faster than before for RWC 2027, and will still be young enough for 2031.

If he was a New Zealander he'd almost certainly rule himself out of ever playing internationally again because the pipeline of players behind him would take over. Because he's Welsh, we've got Rio Dyer...

fretmeister

14 man Saints beat Munster!

Wow! 

pigface

fretmeister said:

Harry Mallinder is having a try too. But as a dedicated kicker rather than anything else.

Naas Botha tried that in 1983 with the Dallas Cowboys but failed, despite being arguably the best kicker in the union game at the time.

crunchman

pigface said:

fretmeister said:

Harry Mallinder is having a try too. But as a dedicated kicker rather than anything else.

Naas Botha tried that in 1983 with the Dallas Cowboys but failed, despite being arguably the best kicker in the union game at the time.

A kicker in the NFL has to do it quickly when the ball is snapped.  None of the carefully placing the ball, and standing there visualising it.

Punter is probably a position that's easier for a rugby player.

pigface

crunchman said:

pigface said:

fretmeister said:

Harry Mallinder is having a try too. But as a dedicated kicker rather than anything else.

Naas Botha tried that in 1983 with the Dallas Cowboys but failed, despite being arguably the best kicker in the union game at the time.

A kicker in the NFL has to do it quickly when the ball is snapped.  None of the carefully placing the ball, and standing there visualising it.

Punter is probably a position that's easier for a rugby player.

Botha was an expert drop-goal kicker as well as a place-kicker and punter. Not much standing around and visualising involved in the former.

fretmeister

crunchman said:

pigface said:

fretmeister said:

Harry Mallinder is having a try too. But as a dedicated kicker rather than anything else.

Naas Botha tried that in 1983 with the Dallas Cowboys but failed, despite being arguably the best kicker in the union game at the time.

A kicker in the NFL has to do it quickly when the ball is snapped.  None of the carefully placing the ball, and standing there visualising it.

Punter is probably a position that's easier for a rugby player.

It's actually amazing that they have separate people to do those.

I wonder if that tradition started as a 'jobs for the boys' idea in the murky past.