This is exactly right, he will earn enough through a base nfl salary to live a good life plus a ton of endorsements and then he will cash it in in France.
@@2011hwalker are they not paying their athletes anything in rugby? No way being a practice squad player in the nfl is better than being A starter where he’s from.
@@CelabWilliams-gb6rmHe’ll earn less on the practice squad than he would in rugby, but not too much less. He’ll also save his body a lot of damage. If he makes it in the NFL he’ll earn a lot more.
@@willsonj god I forget how much money in America we have for dumb shit like sports, meanwhile can’t even get decent healthcare for 50k usd in some cities
I have started American Football club (and federation) in Serbia, after playing Rugby for 6 years. Your commentary that they are very different sports is spot-on. I like to compare them like group tennis and volleyball. They look the similar, but they are hardly comparable. Today I play rugby in Portugal and plan to start American football club in my town. Both sports are very fun to play. Big love for this video!
Playing rugby in the US, when new players showed up, the best ones never came from an America Football background; basketball players had the ball skills, baseball players had better positional awareness, hockey players were able to keep moving after a hit, and wrestlers didn’t need to be taught proper tackling or rucking techniques. There are massive differences between the sports, and the shape of the ball and goalposts are pretty superficial by comparison.
This was my experience as well. American football linemen tended to transition better while running back/wide receiver converts in the backline tended to be black holes who wouldn't pass or ran away from support. Wrestlers were always the most valuable additions to our small club team in high school
The ball isn’t even really the same shape. An American football is pointier, thinner and smaller. Designed to be thrown forward accurately I imagine? Rugby balls are larger more oval and designed to be passed with 2 hands.
Respect that LRZ is following a dream, but the probability of of making a success (= getting in a playing squad) of the attempt is realistically very, very low. I hope he understands that, and even more hope that he beats the odds and does succeed. I do feel sad for the game of rugby and for Wales (even as an England supporter) but that is no reason for anyone to point the finger and accuse him of abandoning either, he's his own man and is 100% entitled to do as he chooses.
He’s fast on a rugby field, but not for football. Got a peek at his numbers, 40 yard dash was 4.67, his first 10 yards splits were abysmal but once he started striding out he was speedy, but that is far too slow for an NFL skill position. They are working on explosion and reconditioning to hopefully get him off the line faster, as in rugby you are almost always in motion and never train for speed from a complete stand still. His 3 cone drill was horrid, a 7.7. NFL linemen run it in sub 7.5’s. These are things he has never trained for in his entire life, and it will likely take years to recondition his body to be able to perform them. American football and rugby are only similar on the surface, they require immensely different skills to be successful. I genuinely don’t think he’s going to make a game day roster, practice squad is unlikely in the very narrow window of time he has to train. If he plans to make an NFL roster as a skill player, he will likely have to stick with it for a couple years.
@@Rafael-xt1nm I’m a former D1 receiver and a receiver coach with Kula Sports Performance. Brian is one of the advisors for the IPP and has all their times from Week 2. They are not published lol, especially not this early on in the program. These were just their baselines, gives teams insight into their potential at the end of the program.
Naas was the back up kicker for the cowboys incase their 1st choice broke down injured but he never did, Naas got no game time so ended up playing rugby for the local dallas harlequins club side and with him they won the national club rugby competition. Cliffy Brown who also played rugby for Natal, northern transvaal moved to the States the same year as Naas and he played for the New Orleans Saints as a kicker but also didn't last long however got more game time than Naas. The south African Gary Anderson did however make it as a kicker and spent 23 seasons there in NFL from 1982 until 2004. Currently Dieter Eiselen is the only south African playing in the NFL. 2 seasons with Chicago bears and 1 season with Houston Texans and he has a pro contract. He was however part of the US college football feeder program so had a number of years to get used to the game and learn it.
Video essays are by far my favourite type of video that you do. The best uploads on your channel are still ye olde La Rochelle, Leinster, Ospreys & which French team are going to turn up videos
Having barely got two minutes into the video: I've always felt the switch between the two is probably really difficult. Rugby is more strategic, with an emphasis on long-term plans and American football more tactical, with an emphasis on short-term play-by-play plans. Rugby is normally free flowing and moves integrated into already flowing play while American football has carefully pre-planned plays with time to call plays before executing it. (Although they both, I think, reward precision of execution similarly.) I do think the levels of athleticism is higher in American football, largely down to more money and a bigger, more centralised player base rather than any fundamental difference in the sports. I also reckon American football rewards sprint-performance over endurance while rugby goes the other way. As for the hits: American football does encourage bigger hits with less regulation on them and the armour really encouraging tacklers to go in more aggressively. That said, an American football match does have far fewer hits (in numbers) than rugby, where lots of tackles are made. In American football hustling players out of bounds or pushing them over is hugely more common, to offset the big hit numbers. I don't like "my sport is better than yours" dialogue (except in the context good natured and friendly piss-taking) but the differences between the two codes are - in practical terms and athletic demands - are very different. I will be curious to see how LRZ does. I think he'll have a good idea of what he's letting himself in for, though.
I feel your analysis is flawed. How is rugby more strategic, what are the "long term plans" that they implement that NFL teams with 3000+ play pre-determined playbooks based on years of a coach/es developing their system and style of play don't? Every play has very specfic roles for each player (and in play variations) and if any of them don't perform theirs then the play probably doesn't work. They're both tactical and both have a distinct strategy at their heart. One is relentlessley more detailed than the other and requires huge amounts more learning to understand the playbook before ever stepping on the field. Top college players, who've played under huge pressure in front of crowds that most rugby (and football come to that) players could only dream of, who've played the game since they were kids, fail to adapt and learn the NFL systems. It's not about learning the rules or specific skill set to play, that's possible over time. To suceed he will have to understand the game to the point where when he goes on the field he knows every play including not just his role but all of his teamates as well and can reliably make the same in game reads that they do. The Guardian had a very good article last week about the difficulties of making the switch.
@@matthewdobson100it’s more strategic for the coaching staff most definitely. But the players are just following instructions given to them, whereas in Rugby, the players are making adjustments all the time. So while NFL may be more mentally taxing up front, Rugby has more in-game decisions being made, with the addition of greater fatigue and independent game management.
@@matthewdobson100 an NFL team will have 3000+ plays based on the first play, rugby may not have that many for the first play but they need something for the second play, and a plan for the third play off the potential positions of the second, and a fourth play play based off the potential positions of the third, the same for the fifth, sixth, seventh etc. How far you work out a set of plays will depend on how you train but you can be 12 phases/plays in and need to have a plan thought out
I think the reverse is true: rugby players are more athletic. It takes far less fitness to play in 5-6 second bursts with most players moving no more than 5-10 metres.
@@matthewdobson100 NFL players don’t generally have a plan B once the ball is snapped. Each player has a specific role for that 5 seconds of play, and if that fails, they stop play, and the next play is sent in from the coaching staff. That is the biggest difference: coaches control every second of play as it happens, and if you play offense, you don’t work on defensive skills, so half of that playbook is of no concern to most players.
Great job breaking this down! I played football and joined a friends side for a rugby match when they were short handed. It is SO different. For him, he will propably play offense, but I dont see how that works out. Technique for a receiver at that level is so nuanced and for a rugby player (assuming, dont have experience) a NFL playbook will be very close to impossible to handle. The complexity and detail of it combined with learning the techique behind it from the ground up is an unfathomable challenge. And if he doesnt play receiver, what does he do? Propably too tall for running back. Return Specialist maybe, but why would you switch sport for that? If he can get onto a roster in that role he might get time to develop, thats the only way I see this working out for him.
Not an expert but have experience playing both sports at a high level (university) the core philosophy of the sports is radically different and I have seen transitions both ways fail miserably. This isn't a knock on either athletic ability but a realization of the fundamental differences in the way each sport is played. And nfl player would athletically be capable of playing club rugby but would struggle with the soft skills like positioning and running support. Rugby players conversely have so many reactions built into finding space and creating passing opportunities that while uber athletic fundamentally don't work on the American football field. Conversely while rugby players can perform the tackle part of the game well the defensive schemes are so radically different that play defense for a rugby player is playing blind. There is no blocking in rugby and I have scene hard hitting rugby defenders miss read a blocking scheme because in rugby reactions teach you to ignore those in front of the ball. Reverse is also true for American football players and their instincts. I would be a millionaire if I got a dollar everytime a American football first center tried to "beast mode" for extra meters and lost the ball because he left his forwards behind. Both sports are extremely athletic but this is like saying I'm good at chess so im also going to be good at another strategy based game. Quite frankly the best transition from an American sport to rugby I have ever seen is a power forward from basket ball to an 8th man. Don't have any experience from rugby to basket ball but I assume it could go the other way.
Can't go from rugby to basketball which is a very very high skill game--takes years to learn how to handle the ball, dribble, pass, shoot, develop a basketball IQ. Am surprised anyone went the other way, too.
Probably the most common sense take on this video! There are too many “these guys are tougher” “my sport is harder” takes which just make no sense!! There is nothing in the physical side of things that players wouldn’t be able to adjust to! (I have seen some American football converts struggle with the mentality of going into contact without pads) but that can be over come! It comes down to different skills and different learned behaviours like you said!
Manfred Moore comes to mind, he is the only player to ever score a touchdown in the US and a try in Australia at the top level in each code (Rugby League in Australia). He was a Superbowl player but only played 4 games of Rugby League before being relegated to reserve grade and then opting to head back to the NFL. He was a special teams player.
And your reasoning? Rather than given your personal vitriol for anything Wales, please share as to why you think such! He is 6’3 and very athletic, he Physically can more than make it. Whether he can adapt to the environment and everything that for with it is another thing. He will definitely be a WR if he does make a Roster.
The learning curve is actually insane and talent pool for Americans who've been playing this since kids is huge. One example is jarryd hayne, got onto the squad with physical talent alone but cracked when he had to learn another playbook his second year.
@@WalesTheTrueBritonsNobody is questioning his physical talent. Part of the issue is that he’s not a special physical talent in comparison to NFL wide receivers, and he’s never played the sport before. That’s a huge uphill battle for him.
As an aside, the most successful cross sport transfers to the NFL are (and it isn't even close) from Aussie Rules Football. They are all punters of course
Interestingly this pathway LRZ is following only just opened to punters/kickers this year. All the Aussie’s in the nfl came through colleges before they went pro. Few Irish lads gone through as kickers this year and they’ll have a much better chance of making a roster than any of the others I would say
@@iowadrummer7 I'm pedantic for sure, and maybe should have excluded cross sports players with a background in both sports - Deion and Bo played football and baseball as kids and in college, and both were drafted in football and baseball (Deion twice by MLB) so weren't transplants. I suppose the other comment would be that Deion and Bo were once in a generation talents, whereas there are a higher number of Aussie rules players making the NFL
@@davidmorrey1739 Interestingly enough there are a lot of US transplants TO Aussie Rules. Mason Cox being quite a famous example. The AFL scouts basketball players specifically if my memory serves at a combine in LA I believe?
Haha knew you'd relish the opportunity to savage Jarryd Hayne. Richly deserved. From the Aussie perspective the one omission here is the actually very successful pipeline from massive boot afl player to NFL punter. That's been so successful that it's legitimately transformed punting tactics in the NFL
Is it common to play both in Australia? Like footy and rugby? Seems to be part of a group of rugby countries though football seems to be the sport that is loved.
@@davesnothere8859 AFL is very much isolated to Melbourne where 80% of pro teams are based. You don't really see kids growing up playing it outside of there. League dominates the east coast, union has a country wide presence but is struggling.
When you say both do you mean Aussie rules and rugby? There's been a few mostly failed attempts to cross over as the pro level, coming out of juniors its a bit more common but the sports have such different demands on physique, skill set and type of athleticism that very few kids would suit both at any high level of competition
I'd argue that afl is bigger at the club level everywhere other than NSW and QLD, WA and SA can both sustain two pro teams, NT and tassie are dominated by it. Admittedly qld and nsw make up a pretty large chunk of the population
He’s definitely a good enough athlete. Skill positions are just so hard to get into having not grown up living football. The decisions on how to run a route, where to stop etc need to be instinctual. Hopefully be can get in as a deep threat where they keep it simple but he’s gonna have to work so hard to catch up. The rugby players who would have the best shot at making it are guys like Skelton who are just MASSIVE. You can’t teach that size and if you look at the guys the IPP took they are all big linemen which tells you everything you need to know.
Always thought Skelton was the twin of Mailata. Locks I think translate really well to offensive tackles due to length and having to be decently athletic. I think it's hard for skill guys since lateral speed is so much more important than running in a straight line since you rarely get the chance in the NFL if playing running back.
@@aldobonaso3481 Heard Naas talked about it last year around world cup time. I understood from hiim talking about it he played as kicker for a season or 2 then came back to SA. The rugby he played there was with SA team touring Americas. Not official SA tour.
@aldobonaso3481 yes he played club rugby for the dallas harlequins and under Naas they won the national club rugby championship that year. He was actually the backup kicker fir the cowboys after the 1st choice kicker but never got game time so he switched back to being actively involved in rugby. Another South African rugby player Cliffy Brown who played wing for Natal and Northern Transvaal had a similar journey in NFL to Naas, even the same year, and played as a kicker for New Orleans Saints, got more actual playing opportunity than Naas but also didn't stick around. The only South African to make it big as a kicker there was Gary Anderson, a non rugby player, at least not a big name in SA anyway, he was more into soccer and was on a soccer scholarship in America when he transitioned over to American football, played 2 seasons of college football as a kicker then got drafted to the NFL where he spent 23 seasons as a kicker. Played from 1982 until about 2004/2005.
@louismaloney6611 naas played rugby for the dallas harlequins club side for a season and they won the national club rugby champs that season under Naas. Was either the same year or the year after he trialled for the cowboys in NFL. He was backup kicker for the cowboys but never got any game time as 1st choice kicker played every game. Cliffy Brown the ex Natal and northern transvaal wing also went to America in 1983 as a kicker and made the New Orleans NFL team as a kicker, but like Naas didn't get much game time. Gary Anderson is the only south African to make it big there as a kicker, 23 seasons in total, as 1st choice. He however had the advantage of going there to college after school in SA and played college football.
Great video. Personal view, he won't make it because his instinctive reactions to events will be a tenth of a second behind his opponents. I grew up playing rugby, discovered American Football at 18 and then played that for 10 years - only late on could I describe my on field reactions as unconscious / instant. It takes years to get there. Would love LRZ to prove me wrong!
exactly. Its only after playing for years that you get that "instinct". Typically along the lines of the instantaneous understanding, "In these kind of set-ups, a gap opens between first and second blockers, so thats where I need to head" or "that space looks tempting, but it's usually a trap"
@@shinywarm6906 Yes, even if LRZ is the superior athlete (and it won't be by a big margin if he is), then that small gap in reaction speed will be a killer.
I wouldn’t compare you with LRZ though. LRZ is a world class athlete and one of the best in the world. He’s already has to show a fantastic ability to improve to be one of the best in the world. I apologise if I am speaking to Bryan Habana here but if you aren’t Bryan Habana, you come across as rather arrogant.
@@jordlang97 Rather than offense Vs defense I'd say it was more a case that some positions demand more complex processing of opposition reads than others. Unfortunately the positions LRZ has the physical tools for (WR, Safety) are at the high end of that read and react spectrum. The best positions for pure athletes (ie without high levels of game intelligence) in my opinion are DE, CB and kick returner.
The International Player Performance Pathway is just another part of NFL marketing. It's not a real attempt to get overseas players into their league. If it was they'd be coming over and looking at 18-19 year olds in the acadamies and offering them scholarships into US college systems to learn the game that way (there probably are people on scholarships playing the game this way you just don't hear about them until they're in the NFL). All they want is the odd high profile guy from another sport/country so that newspaper/internet/social media talks about the NFL when they wouldn't otherwise and it exposes the sport a little bit more. Ultimatley the success of the IPPP as far as the NFL are concerned is how many website hits, addtional viewers, overseas TV rights increases, etc it generates. LRZ will make a practice squad because there is no real risk to a team to put him on one and there will be pressure from the league to keep the IPPP relevant and the interest flowing.
One big factor that will determine whether LRZ is a success or not is the organization that he goes to. Several teams in the NFL have had great success with finding natural athletes (meaning non-American football players) who they can teach fundamentals to and hope to grow them into the sport over a few years. One major stumbling block is that the NFL itself puts limits on team activities and how much coaches can work with players in a practice setting that's not in-season, so that will impact his ability to develop outside of training camp. Once camp starts, the dynamics change very quickly from rapid development to see who is worth sticking around, to preparing for the season which is why so many converts end up on practice squads because they need more time and reps. Tom Brady has a great interview about this and how the NFL harms itself from having players master fundamentals outside of camp. If LRZ has a basic understanding of fundamentals, he might get a faster start. Good luck to him.
Well he's been signed to one of the greatest living minds in the sport of American Football. The Pep Guardiola of the sport, if you will. If anyone is going to be able to find a clever way to use LRZ it's Andy Reid.
Dunno mate, Christian wade was pretty lethal for wasps. Not far behind LRZ in hype. Just England’s play style meant they wanted wingers with a more diverse skill set like Jack Nowell and Elliot Daly over a speed merchant
I respect the gamble. The thing is, if you DO manage to find a spot on an NFL team and even be good enough to call yourself a star, the amount of money you would make absolutely dwarfs that of Rugby (no offense, America is just a larger market and the money flowing in sponsorships and contracts is crazy for the top guys)
Murica is a big country with many more athletes. I think he'll be a smaller fish in a much bigger pond so may not stand out enough in the combine or training to get drafted. Also, some may question NFL player IQs but those playbooks can be long and complex to a newbie.
Great video and a very accurate analysis, as a fan of both sports I couldn't of put it better myself. LRZ is taking a huge gamble and based on the track record of previous players that have converted, I do have a slight fear that he's chucking his rugby career down the drain. However if anyone can make it big in the NFL from rugby, it's him. He's still a young player that already has knowledge of the game (despite never actually having playing experience), but it's all going to depend on what franchise he ends up at and how much of a chance the franchise want to make with him. I can see him being back on the rugby pitch within the next decade if he's successful (and I personally think he'd make a great wide receiver), but if he ends up being another bit part in the practice squad like most other rugby to NFL converts, he's going to be on his way to France in about 2 to 3 years if he knows his worth. For his sake I really hope the gamble pays off and if anything I really hope he ends up with a franchise that wants to take a gamble on him too. With the right coaching staff, he could be nurtured into a potentially big asset into an offensive roster
On a different, but related note, the legendary Waisele Serevi made a success in the NFL on the coaching staff of the Seattle Seahawks, where he taught the how to tackle properly.
Did they hire him specifically for that? Because that would be extremely funny; hiring one of the most skilled players with ball in hand ever to train defence
I do remember reading that the Seahawks were one of the first teams to try and focus on teaching rugby tackling to their players, and they had great success with it. Leading with the shoulder, keeping your head up, and wrapping at the waist/legs is less instinctive when you've got all that armour on, but concussions and head injuries have been a huge deal in all levels of the sport over the past decade-plus, and new rules penalise players who lead with the helmet because it's so much more dangerous. High schools across the nation have been cutting their football programs not because the kids don't love football, but because the parents are scared of their kids suffering a life-changing neck/spine/brain injury, and the long-term studies and resulting lawsuits related to CTE and concussions has made the insurance rates that schools are on the hook for prohibitively expensive. Teaching rugby tackling is therefore a very good thing for coaches at youth levels to do, and once you have a generation of players who were brought up learning how to tackle this way, you'll start to see it more at the college level and then at the pro level.
Rees-Zammit just signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. For those who aren’t familiar with the NFL they’re currently the cream of the crop. Ultimately weather he works out probably depends on his ability to catch, but with the best player in the NFL it’s probably the best situation he could be put in for success
Great analysis, in-depth and an interesting comparison with football that I hadn't thought of before. I wish LRZ luck, and I think he'll need it. I think his hype is because he's fast and because he's a big fish in a small pond in Wales. If he was English he might be just another Radwan, and he wouldn't start for a lot of other countries' national teams. Frankly Jarryd Hayne and Christian Wade are more talented runners (he would have had heaps of caps had he been Welsh), as is Valentine Holmes. If they couldn't make it, I doubt LRZ could.
Best analogy I have heard is that Rugby and American Football are like English and Japanese, yes they are both languages but that is about where the overlap ends. And while plenty of people speak both languages very few people end up being published authors in both languages. Toughness and Physicality are present in both, but the goals, flow, strategy of the game are nearly diametrically oppossed. Short Tactictal Play vs. Endurance Long Term Strategic Thinking. Someone will be able to do both, but I doubt too successfully.
Don’t forget the Legend Gary Hein! Played Grid Iron and Rugby for Cal Berkeley, played for the USA in the first 2 world cups and then went to 2 15’s world cups and made 29 caps for the USA sevens team.
Like the 'for NFL fans' disclaimer for explaining Rugby League. But should have been on the screen half a second longer, took me 3 attempts to pause on it correctly. Not hating RL like both sports, but explaining it like Canadian football in Canada but for Australia with regards to their preferred Rugby worked well as a very broad stroke.
2:42 - Also, the 80s saw a lot of internal problems in the NFL and a ratings problem. It was when the super halftime show was introduced, and a number of other "entertainment factors" were either introduced or pushed more to bring in more casual fans. The 80s is why American football saw its 2nd big boom in the 90s & 00s (the first being the couple of decades following WWII). American football is nearly unrecognisable today compared to its counterpart in the 1940s or 1950s. Its more of a show than a competition, especially in the Goodell era. And they're always looking for ways to add or change the rules to make it more entertainment-friendly and less competition-friendly. Rugby on the other hand has more or less remained more similar to its older counterparts considering the changes that have occurred in its history. Its still very much a game.
Hey bro, you missed out Naas Botha, who played for the Dallas Cowboys and successfully made it back to SA rugby, after many believed he should not have been given a second chance.
Yeah he didn't make it on to the Cowboys' roster. They already had Raphael Septien- an all-pro kicker. SA Rugby offered him the Springbok captaincy if he returned.
Excellent, Squidge. Now do Irish GAA players who crossed over to Aussie Rules teams. (Doesn’t involve rugby in any way? That’s no excuse! I bet Antoine Dupont would make that video on Squarespace)
The natural fit for LRZ will be on special teams. Most likely as a gunner on punt coverage teams where he can pin his ears back and sprint down the field to get after the returner. This is probably the most convertible skill he possesses as it is similar to a traditional kick chase in rugby. He will certainly get a look at KR. It gives him the most time and space to hit top gear and to use his skills as a runner. He won’t get looks on the defensive side. He would not have the experience and skills to play CB (for example, backpedaling and opening the hips to follow a receiver). On offense, his build isn’t suited to running back, plus he probably wouldn’t be able to pass block with any competence. WR is an option as he could conceivably learn the route tree. But could he adapt to receiving bullet passes? Also could he learn the nuances of sneaking up the seam, sitting down when the CB is in zone coverage? I do gently wonder if he could get looks at punter? He does have a decent boot on him, and many Aussie rules players have made successful punters. One thing that does stand in his stead is practise squad rules have changed in the past few seasons. As opposed to being on the practise squad all year and being permanently elevated to the active roster, you can be temporarily elevated 4x per season. If injuries pop up on the team, he could be activated for a few games just to see how he performs.
This is the most likely scenario. Everyone has become excited about seeing a rugby player torching the NFL and they just don’t get it. He’d be a good gunner, but is that even what he wants to do? I’d presume he wants to be a Wide Receiver. There’s a lot of playbook to learn with that, route trees, blocking for run plays, getting off man press against the most physical guys he will have ever played against. It’s a tall task. Special teams or bust I’d put money on, but I would be pleased to see him prove us wrong.
@@juwankane5150 The most physical guys he will have ever played against? Really? You don't rate elite, international, test level rugby players very highly then?
@@PaulSarries Different kind of physicality. NFL players probably can’t hang for 80 minutes straight but Rugby players will find the short bursts in the NFL more physical on a per play basis for sure.
There was a guy on my college rugby team who used to be quarterback on the football team. For one reason or another, he left the team and joined the rugby club instead and was fantastic. A lot of the guys on my current club team grew up playing football and they're all great rugby players now. It's very easy to switch sports and be good, but this is at an amateur level. Even if you're among the best in the world at one sport, switching to a new one and trying to play with the best of the best isn't easy.
I coached former college Football players and Lacrosse players to become a very successful College Rugby team. American Football is a game of inches, rugby flows continuously and inches rarely matter. A Football tackle is therefore a dead stop, rugby more of a judo throw. Lacrosse players adapted quickly. Football sometimes. Dislocated shoulder were an issue. Instinct is an important part of any game and this develops at a young age and is ingrained. I was invited to play college football but never did. Often wonder what would have resulted?
I’m an American with no rugby knowledge but this is pretty fascinating. I’m really curious what LRZ will play in the NFL, as his body type best fits the mold of a receiver, but so much technique is required for the position. But you can’t teach speed so he’ll have a great shot regardless
From my limited experience in both sports, they are extremely different in the nuances. You need to catch up with lingo, the formations, the differences in PoV, keep your head on swivel, blocking techniques, cut tackles/blocks, safely tucking the ball and that's before you can find a specialist position. Plus you are compete against people who've played all their lives and still find it hard to find a roster spot. I wish him all the best because he will have to start from scratch
I think the Crhistian Wade thing kinda showed there is potentially a chance. But if this guy is trying to be a running back, than the competition is even more stiff. If he intends on playing rugby, being a running back is potentially the most dangerous position for him long term.
Amazing video. One extremely minor detail: Did you say "renumerate" or "remunerate" at 2:26? Because I'm pretty sure it's meant to be "remunerate", a common mistake. 🤪
Naas Botha was a placekicker for the dallas cowboys for one year in 1983. He would rank as one of SA's best 10's ever. PS..love the breakdown of the difference between the two sports
Most realistic chance is a special teams specialist gunner on kicks and punts, as a wr how many routes can he run can he run them as well as a guy who’s been robotically running them for over a decade to the point that it’s in their dna. What does he know about run block concepts. In terms of rules outside of the massive rule book on how you’re allowed to tackle the qb the wr defender interaction is incredibly complicated. How good is this guy at catching a football at nfl velocity. On all these points he better be perfect because he’s going to work his ass off to make a practice squad and then prove himself as capable and if he makes a mistake or drops a pass he’s done because why bother with a project.
Ok it’s definitely not the first time this has ever happened. You mentioned Jarryd Hayne. I have no knowledge of his criminal background but regardless, he was a sensational player.
For those of you who are interested: LRZ did not make the Kansas City Chiefs’ final roster after the preseason. He is now on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad.
I liked the comparison between football and rugby. Interesting points on intelligence, endurance, and attrition. Wouldn't be so sure about the conditioning. And even the smallest rugby player would be overweight at the top level of football.
I love rugby and American football and have followed both religiously for 15+ years. I can't see LRZ working out tbh. Christian Wade was too old, but at the peak of his powers he would have been perfect for the transition and he still didn't really get close to making it. My big question is what position can be play? He's too tall but not powerful enough to play running back, and most other positions are so intelligence based that his lack of experience will limit him massively. Wide receivers don't just run a prescribed route, they read and react to the defence and adjust accordingly, needing to be on completely the same wave path with their qb. My thinking is that his best opportunity would be as an H back, a kick returner, or a special teams player, all of which are less thrilling careers than what he would have had in rugby. That being said, if he runs a sub 4.4 40 yard dash I expect him to get picked up.
Most of the players are fairly anonymous outside the quarterbacks and selected based on their athletic attributes - which is they all have the same phenotype. Positions like tunning bsck are almost dosposable now
He'd be a good kick returner, but I think that element of the game is less important with so many rule changes to try and lessen the danger. Wide receiver is the next place. If he can develop the catching skills and learn the routes he may have a small chance of getting off the practice squad. Of course, he can at least teach them how to tackle ;)
If LRZ tries out as a wide receiver he'll find catching a pass rather different to rugby. In American football the catching is more akin to fielding in the slips in cricket (as far as how hard the ball can be thrown - it can break fingers) and you have the issue that defenders can smash you as soon as the ball arrives. Key factors that will impress coaches will be his vertical jump and his short distance speed. 40 yard speed is not the same as 100m speed. Carlin Isles is faster than Usain Bolt over 40m, but Bolt runs the last 50m much faster. NFL 'speed' tends to be more about being incredibly rapid for short bursts as you rarely get to go that far. Also, violent changes of direction without slowing down are valued as are 'juke', 'cut' and 'spin' moves that you don't see too often in rugby to generate YAC (yards after completion). He'll also have to get used to the fact that the sort of tackles that get immediately carded in rugby are standard in NFL, for example the 'bowling ball' no wrap hit to the lower legs or general no-wrap shoulder hit to the chest or even head.
Fitness favours rugby but when American football switched to 60 mins with 4 5 minute breaks and also seemingly endless substitutions. Hence rugby players can't p.e.d themselves into a freak with a limit of 10 minutes continuous play, so rugby players albeit 6'11" frames they just couldn't get as big as a defensive line backer and still run for 80 minutes. I would like to see a comparison between the biggest nfl and the biggest rugby player's output and how far they run. There are lots of both linebacker and rugby forward or odd back. IMHO this is the main difference
I am an American that has recently gotten into rugby, and they are completely different sports. Football is all about being explosive more than anything else, while rugby seems to prioritize stamina more than the NFL where it is 4 seconds all out, then 30 seconds of rest, the NFl also has unlimited subs, and more specialized players that only come in for certain plays.
Not quite accurate calling LRZ the only ‘top’ player from rugby codes to jump across - Valentine Holmes and Jarrad Hayne from league were top players when they made the switch
It’s a very strange decision from a guy who probably does understand the nfl as much as any other fan. Superstar in wales to - at best - bubble guy fighting for a practice squad place. Seems odd.
The most obvious comparison to LRZ in terms of skillset is Valentine Holmes. He didn't make the regular season roster at the Jets. LRZ has about a 1% chance of doing so.
Agree that offensive skill positions are too difficult. But I would argue CB is even more complicated. And you can’t have a player on the field who can only play Man-all-over-the-field because it simply tells the QB what defence you are in, so he can dial up a man breaker and the best players in the game,e are toast.
Ummm..... maybe a mention of the great South African Legend, NAAS BOTHA? If I recall, he was with Dallas Cowboys as a kicker? This was in the 80s or 90s
Nope, didn't make it so played club rugby in dallas for the dallas harlequins for a year. A south African who didn't even play top flight rugby by the name of Gary Anderson who was more interested in soccer did however make it big in NFL playing for 23 seasons. Starting to laugh now at the number of south africans commenting here on naas Botha and NFL and haven't even heard of the only south African who did make it big there.
for everyone saying he's gonna get cut or just be a practice squad player I disagree, I think he has potential to be a good RB2/gadget player, honestly I think he can be a monster when developed
Jarryd Hayne went from one of the best seasons ever seen in the NRL to a handful of plays in the NFL to not making the Fijian sevens team, so not a great precedent But there are a few Aussie Rules players that have done well as punters An Aussie is playing as a lineman in the NFL, but he was dropped from pathways Rugby League as a teenager because he was too big
I wish him all the best but it will be hard. He's not big enough to be a lineman or tight end. He's not got enough american football experience to play be a defensive player or quarter back and isn't a good enough kicker to be a kicker (lets be honest why would he be kicker at his peak). He also isn't really explosive and physical enough to be a running back. His best position would be a returner (but again why leave a sport to maybe play 30 seconds a game in another sport). Which leaves wide receiver. He has potential I think but while he is fast its probably average for a wide receiver and most of them will have years of experience route running etc over him. I hope he does well, it would be good to see a successful crossover story I just struggle to see how - I can only imagine he has been already contacted by nfl scouts/coaches.
I would have liked more elaboration/ speculation on his decision to make the switch. I'm assuming the contract disputes with WRFU played a huge role. Obviously the NFL promises mega bucks, but would he have left if there was a rock solid contract that he would have to sacrifice? As an England fan I'm glad to see him gone 😏 But I feel for the Welsh having lost such a great player!
Most NFL players wouldn't stand a chance in Rugby, they don't have the stamina for 80 minutes. NFL is a start stop game taking breaks on the sideline between offence & defence.
His rugby attribute is that he is fast and since he is rugby player he can tackle.... there are stronger, faster and more elusive players in all NFL teams, however he would do wonder as a free safety I think, as the last line on defense
The story of Richard Tardits could be told in many more words, as he remains well known at the university of Georgia where he played. I do want to point out that the played the Rugby World Cup in the USA team and the US Football World Cup in the France Team. So, with a little bit of french bad faith I could point out that he is only one to play both Worldcups and as such, the only one to play "at the top level" in both sports...
I recall that Jonah Lomu was considering the switch. But I think that perhaps his kidney problems were just starting to surface, and that may be the reason that he pulled the plug. I think that would have been a sensation.
I would say your analysis on the players that have switched is ok, but i find it lacking in two aspects. This most likely has to do with lower familiarity with american football compared to rugby. When you went through the players that made the switch i found that on the NFL side you didnt explain well enough the level each player played at. Given that american football has a 52 man roster compared to a smaller rugby roster. So while being part of the active roster in rugby might give some insight into a persons skill level, that might not be the case for NFL in the same degree. The other part i found a bit lacking were the comparison in terms of the different playing style in the sports. While the conditioning part is fair and true, i find the individual skills to not be that different. This has mainly to do with certain positions in american football having much more similar skills to a rugny player, although in Mailatas case the necessary skills from rugby to the NFL was vastly different due to a lineman playing a different game from a RB. Something like a Safety or a RB would be a lot closer of a comparison in regards to necessary individual skills
Saying that he is definitely the best young talent ever to switch is exaggerated at best. Wade was the highest scorer of tries in the premiership ever, only at age 27 too.
Really interesting topic. I wish LZR the best, but certainly history is against him. I think the comments about game intelligence and conditioning are spot on, totally different from rugby to football.
I will offer a bet that LRZ catches no more than 5 passes in an NFL regular season game. If he doesn’t, your forfeit is to publish a 50 minute video on how man awesome Steve Borthwick and England are …. 😂
