Yeah, if he makes a roster he will earn a lot more than if he stayed put, but if he doesn't make one then he will very likely be worse off in say 4 years than if he stuck with rugby. While I'm sure he'll get a contract in rugby if NFL doesn't work out, it'll be at less than if he stayed and went on the next Lions tour. He'll get a contract but will have to prove that he deserves a top end rugby salary in the next contract.
If he doesn't make a roster, he could be a couple of hundred grand worse off in 4 years time. It's a big gamble.
If he makes a roster he will obliterate what he would have earned in Europe. But he probably won't.
Have to assume he'll earn much less over the next few years than had he stayed in rugby between club/country/potential Lions/endorsemens. I'd also assume that if/when he returns, it'll be won't be at the upper end of the wage scale given he'll have spent the time entirely focusing on another sport. Good luck to him but the chances of it working out well for him are very low.
I think Cornerback is supposed to be one of the trickiest position to play on defense followed by FS/SS. Need nous. He would be lost.
He wants the glory. Offense. Someone mentioned punt return.
He hasnt a hope
A big surprise. A real hammer blow for Welsh rugby, he was a bright spark. I cant see him getting anywhere near an NFL roster.
Not really, about 200k$. I assume he could get more in Wales. The upside is much higher if he makes an actual squad in the NFL, that is a minimum 800k$. It's just not that likely.
Yeah punt returner and general special teamer is his most likely route I would guess. Not exactly glamorous but it pays the bills
Cornerback! I was trying to remember the name of the other defensive back and was drawing a blank. Yeah is tackling would be far superior to nearly any other defensive back in the league.
Punt returned is the most likely option. Certainly to start with. I say good luck to him, hope it goes well.
Just noticed that Jac Morgan isn't in the Wales squad either. He was injured a while ago but I thought he might have made it back in time for the Six Nations.
He's their best forward by a fair margin and without him the entire squad of forwards looks average.
Probably right, but even as a "training squad" person he'll be earning a good deal more than Wales would be offering him.
He's young so even if it doesn't work out he will come back in a year or two and get a contract easily enough.
If he doesn't anything beyond returning punts in preseason I'll eat my hat.
He'd be highly, highly unlikely to make it as a wide receiver. He's on the small side for a safety but his tackling would be a level up. Maybe cornerback?
It's a good question, there is no obvious fit.
I'd imagine a kick or punt returner. That's the position a lot of rugby converts have attempted to play, including Christian Wade (RB as well) and Jarryd Hayne were attempting to get to.
Don't think he could play safety. You'd need to be playing for years to understand the role. WR would be most likely, I'd imagine?
What position would he play? Too tall and skinny for a running back. Wide receiver or a safety maybe? Punter?
its the worst welsh squad ive seen in 20 years.
Very average squad. Wales almost starting from scratch here. Hard to see past them for the wooden spoon.
scottish squad
wales 6 nations squad
WALES SQUAD FOR 2024 GUINNESS SIX NATIONS
Forwards (19)
Corey Domachowski (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 6 caps)
Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets – 1 cap)
Gareth Thomas (Ospreys / Gweilch – 26 caps)
Elliot Dee (Dragons / Dreigiau – 46 caps)
Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 38 caps)
Evan Lloyd (Cardiff Rugby – uncapped / heb gap)
Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 2 caps)
Leon Brown (Dragons / Dreigiau – 23 caps)
Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby – uncapped / heb gap)
Adam Beard (Ospreys / Gweilch – 51 caps)
Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs / Caerwysg – 12 caps)
Will Rowlands (Racing 92 – 29 caps)
Teddy Williams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 1 cap)
Taine Basham (Dragons / Dreigiau – 16 caps)
James Botham (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 9 caps)
Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – uncapped / heb gap)
Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – uncapped / heb gap)
Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers / Caerlŷr – 13 caps)
Aaron Wainwright (Dragons / Dreigiau – 43 caps)
Backs (15)
Gareth Davies (Scarlets – 74 caps)
Kieran Hardy (Scarlets – 18 caps)
Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 53 caps)
Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 8 caps)
Cai Evans (Dragons / Dreigiau – 1 cap)
Ioan Lloyd (Scarlets – 2 caps)
Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 6 caps)
George North (Ospreys / Gweilch – 118 caps)
Joe Roberts (Scarlets – 1 cap)
Nick Tompkins (Saracens / Saraseniaid – 32 caps)
Owen Watkin (Ospreys / Gweilch – 36 caps)
Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 53 caps)
Rio Dyer (Dragons / Dreigiau – 14 caps)
Tom Rogers (Scarlets – 3 caps)
Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – uncapped / heb gap)
Bonkers
He'll be back fairly rapid
Never trusted him with that hair style
No doubt Irish Rugbys fault to some.
Or the URC.
Or both for............ whatever.
mad news. welsh rugby really is in the doldrums
"joining" the NFL is a stretch. It is fairly unlikely to materialise into an actual position in a squad. More likely he kicks around on a practice squad for a year or two and then returns to rugby.
Louis Rees-Zammit is leaving rugby to join the NFL. That's a mega blow to Wales. He's their biggest young star.
Mako Vunipola has retired from international rugby
On this, the beginning of the 6 Nations season, the great JPR Williams has sadly died. He was 74.
An orthopaedic surgeon by profession and of the amateur era, he won 55 Wales caps and 8 for the Lions over two Tours. He won the Grand Slam with his nation three times.
RIP
I've a feeling England aren't going to be a pushover this year.
Some detail on Felix Jones' role with England
English Men’s players have officially left the RPA as their union
I think it’s an awful decision, their existing EPS contracts that the RPA negotiated are the highest paid as far as I’m aware for any international squad. And the rest of the professional rugby players across the country are sticking with the RPA.
Feels a bit like having your cake and eating it too, but not entirely sure the RFU will be willing to bend over and give them all they want, especially without the reputation and power the RPA has.
Academy players get match appearance money, I'm not sure if contracted players get anything additional outside of win bonuses for winning competitions
Didn't think this question deserved it's own thread, so I'll stick it in here. Does anyone know if players get paid for match appearances at URC/Champions Cup level? Just at Munster alone in the past few years there's been academy players like Kendellen and Edogbo making dozens of appearances while still on academy contracts. Surely they aren't doing all that for just the ~12k per year?
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