Former NFL tight end becomes Major League Rugby's latest signing
There has been a growing number of players transitioning from rugby to the American football in recent years, Christian Wade the latest to make the move.
The former Wasps wing has been assigned to the Buffalo Bills and will be a part of the NFL’s international player pathway programme for the 2019 season, joining both Christian Scotland-Williamson and Alex Gray in making the most of the opportunity that has been afforded to elite athletes from outside the United States.
Athletes transitioning the other way have tended to be less high-profile, although Paul Lasike, previously a full-back with the Chicago Bears, signed up with Harlequins this season. Former Washington linebacker Psalm Wooching had trials in Europe, too, before signing with San Diego Legion and winning multiple caps for the US national team.
Another name is set to be added to this list, with Old Glory DC, one of the expansion teams in the MLR for the 2020 season, securing the signature of Ryan Smith.
Old Glory DC is proud to announce the signing of former Green Bay Packers Tight End & fullback Ryan Smith.
Smith, of River Forest, Illinois, played rugby at Fenwick High School and went on to Miami University. At Miami (OH) Smith played for 4 years of football & rugby. pic.twitter.com/AMLbBPHhDr
— Old Glory DC (@OldGloryDC) May 1, 2019
Smith, 23, graduated from Miami (Ohio) in 2018, the same college that produced future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, signing up with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent. Like Lasike, who has made a success of the transition, Smith has a history of playing rugby prior to his NFL stint.
At 6 foot 4ins and weighing in at over 18 stone, Smith should bring impressive physical stature and ability to the MLR when his new club join the fast-growing competition next year.
Old Glory DC are not the only team set to be added in 2020, with New England Free Jacks and Rugby ATL also set to join and the tournament set to adopt an east and west coast conference format. This expansion follows Rugby United New York and Toronto Arrows being added this year in what is just the MLR’s second season.
It was Lasike’s performances on the Utah Warriors roster in 2018 that caught the attention of Harlequins and now Smith will get a similar opportunity to press his claim for a stint in Europe if he can perform at a high level in the US capital next season, especially with the Scottish Rugby Union having invested in the fledgling franchise and almost certain to keep a close eye on his development.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Yes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
34 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to comments