didn't read the article eh? Anyways there are many rugby players that could be really good NFL players... just think about how many nations play rugby! Problem is they might not be interested in switching to american football... for many guys in Europe american football is Rugby's gay version... because rugby is a lot tougher! Not saying that's my opinion (of course not, I love american football!) but that's the perception...
I'd like anyone who thinks rugby is tougher than American Football to grab a football and run 5 yards while Ray Lewis is chasing you down.
They're different sports... like cricket and baseball. American sports in general are less fluent (in the NFL after every play you line up again) but when action happens it's always highly spectacular while rugby is an in-the-trenches war for 80 minutes... I think it reflects the different mentality between Europeans and Americans very well. As far as the hits... the difference is when 2 NFL players hit each other it's usually at full speed so they're big hits but they have loads of protection... in Rugby you have almost no protection and while the hits aren't at full speed they're still pretty powerful. Imo they're two two totally diferent games (because of different mind-sets) and thus can't be compared...
its funny, a lot of my friends talk about the NFL/rugby who hits harder debate but truth is they are totally different (as someone above pointed out). As far as rugby goes, most players grow up with it and from a young age your taught how to take a hit, how to fall properly, correct position for tackles etc which developes as time goes on. It basically trains your body to take the pain of a hit for 80mins. Rugby is like a marathon where as the NFL is like a 100m sprint. I've never understood why NFL teams never make more moves for the likes of Jonah Lomu when he was in his prime. Some rugby players are just insane, complete freaks of nature. Anyway, I thought I'd post a little youtube video with some big rugby hits for you guys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZHDFliS6vo&playnext_from=TL&videos=Jy1XIMheNLA
God those where some hard hits!!! [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZHDFliS6vo&playnext_from=TL&videos=Jy1XIMheNLA[/YOUTUBE]
Some of those are brutal, because they are not wearing pads. NFL hits are so much more violent. Send guys flipping into the air. A lot of those were slomo'd because the hit was a arm tackle. Not that I'd want to be taking that without the pads though-
That's the big difference... sure the hits aren't as hard as the NFL but they don't have downs to rest and they don't have nearly as much protection as in football thus making it a more violent sport...
WE should send Gholston to New Zealand! [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bno7QZKfyGQ&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]
They probably never were interested, the original source is a fairly shitty newspaper over here. Anyway, Rugby tackles are definitely more brutal than NFL tackles. In the NFL you get maybe 5 big hits a game at best? In rugby, nearly ever tackle is a big hit. Also, the guys are usually 210-260lbs and the big guys hit each other. In the NFL it's usually 250lb guys destroying 200lb guys.
hell yeah. why not? For one..you have to be clinically insane to play professional rugby, so he's definitely not afraid to get hit or shy away from contact. he'll be like "lol, what are these pads for?". Some of those stiff arms are awesome. he literally manhandled those dudes at full speed the other thing is this guy is obviously an athletic freak. you haven't seen rugby players come to the NFL because they usually don't have the raw athletic ability or size that translates. He could easily bulk up too...he's not like your regular aussie whiteguy, he's aborignee and some of those guys have crazy genetics. I'm sure his build is ideal for a rugby player now but he could modify if it need be. I say do it. It's hard to say what his raw speed is because you have him going against guys that are nowhere as fast as NFL players, but he obviously is pretty fuckin fast. he makes everyone else out there look like a joke. At his size, that could be tremendous. i'd love to see it materialize. would make for a great story and you know you'd be rooting for this guy hardcore. at OLB though? I don't see that. I could see him as a KR/PR and an HB. Moreso than anything is because he doesn't know american football. LB is a thinking position and it would take a long ass time for him to get acclimated to the position and develop the instincts required to play the position. it's hard enough for people who already played football, let alone to someone who hasn't. maybe he could come in as solely a KR and then develop as a LB in practice or something, but it'd take at least 2-3 years at the minimum for him to even have a shot at that.
Since I doubt many of you noticed the update: http://espn.go.com/blog/new-yorkjets/post/_/id/472/report-aussie-rugby-star-piques-jets-interest Great reporting...
