OT: Video of Rugby player that should have played in NFL

[upstater1]

I've followed rugby sparingly over the last couple decades since playing in college, but I knew all about Jonah Lomu. 6'5 and 270 pound back with blazing speed. He plowed people. Earl Campbell but bigger and stronger. I always expected some NFL Scout to lure him but I discovered just now that he retired 2 years ago at the age of 31 (talk of a comeback in France recently) because of kidney ailments.

Have a look at this guy running and hitting people. I bet he has 4.6 40 speed at 270 pounds, and he's got moves too!

YouTube - The Best of Jonah Lomu MUST SEE!! (Rare Tries) Part 1

For those wondering, the NFL has recruited top Rugby players in the past, but so far no one has taken the plunge.

 

[eagle eye]

I've followed rugby sparingly over the last couple decades since playing in college, but I knew all about Jonah Lomu. 6'5 and 270 pound back with blazing speed. He plowed people. Earl Campbell but bigger and stronger. I always expected some NFL Scout to lure him but I discovered just now that he retired 2 years ago at the age of 31 (talk of a comeback in France recently) because of kidney ailments.

Have a look at this guy running and hitting people. I bet he has 4.6 40 speed at 270 pounds, and he's got moves too!

YouTube - The Best of Jonah Lomu MUST SEE!! (Rare Tries) Part 1

For those wondering, the NFL has recruited top Rugby players in the past, but so far no one has taken the plunge.

You mean had 4.6 speed. He was faster than that at his peak. He ran a 10.8 100 metres.

Thats 110 yards so I'd reckon that translates to 4.3/4.4

 

[upstater1]

You mean had 4.6 speed. He was faster than that at his peak. He ran a 10.8 100 metres.

Thats 110 yards so I'd reckon that translates to 4.3/4.4

He was definitely a freak of nature.

I don't know anyone in the history of the NFL that had his skill set, and in part 2 of the video, you can even see some of his ball skills (he kicks a little up and under and collects the ball neatly).

 

[tuckeverlasting]

man, that's a freight train going down hill. up high and you just slide off. down low and you take a knee to the chops. that's fun, TO WATCH.

 

[Jared]

I certainly won't deny his athleticism, but that video showed some pretty terrible tackling on the vast majority of the plays. Why on earth so many guys tried to arm tackle him high, I'll never understand.

Note that I say this as a guy who played college rugby at 6'3, 255-260. I didn't have nearly the speed that guy did, but I, and many of my fellow forwards, could easily run through high arm tackles like that as well (when playing against appropriate competition).

 

[upstater1]

I certainly won't deny his athleticism, but that video showed some pretty terrible tackling on the vast majority of the plays. Why on earth so many guys tried to arm tackle him high, I'll never understand.

Note that I say this as a guy who played college rugby at 6'3, 255-260. I didn't have nearly the speed that guy did, but I, and many of my fellow forwards, could easily run through high arm tackles like that as well (when playing against appropriate competition).

Well, Americans tackle harder. But we learned our lessons with our hard tackling when we did a tour of Scotland. The teams we played were smaller than us, and all they tried to do was wrap us up. Meanwhile, we were creaming them and taking them down. The problem was, they were getting the ball out quicker than we could hit them, and while we were lying on the ground after our hard hits, the ball was flying out to the wing, and those little guys were demolishing us on the scoreboard. I don't think solid American tackling counts as much in the international game. On a lot of those Lomu runs, you see a wing to his outside. He could easily pass the ball of to a teammate, but each time he takes the defender on, and it's like the defender is both shocked and scared at the same time. A few guy stuck their noses in and were bowled over.

 

[Calciumee]

He was fantastic to watch.

True freak of nature!

 

[resdubwhite]

Well, Americans tackle harder. But we learned our lessons with our hard tackling when we did a tour of Scotland. The teams we played were smaller than us, and all they tried to do was wrap us up. Meanwhile, we were creaming them and taking them down. The problem was, they were getting the ball out quicker than we could hit them, and while we were lying on the ground after our hard hits, the ball was flying out to the wing, and those little guys were demolishing us on the scoreboard. I don't think solid American tackling counts as much in the international game. On a lot of those Lomu runs, you see a wing to his outside. He could easily pass the ball of to a teammate, but each time he takes the defender on, and it's like the defender is both shocked and scared at the same time. A few guy stuck their noses in and were bowled over.

Certainly with the game of rugby as you know the whole idea is to create gaps (not unlike football) so by takingo nthe man and releasing the ball quickly those gaps are created.

jonah should have won a world cup medal in 95.
Mysteriously the team came down with a bout of food poisoning a couple of days before the final against South Africa in South Africa.

Meant to add.

Met the man once. What a complete gentleman.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

Wow I really hate it why some twerp adds obnoxious music to these highlight reels; have to turn off the sound.

Anyway I don't think I have ever seen such poor tackling. Nor did I see any Ray Lewis type hitting this guy; that would be interesting.

 

[resdubwhite]

Wow I really hate it why some twerp adds obnoxious music to these highlight reels; have to turn off the sound.

Anyway I don't think I have ever seen such poor tackling. Nor did I see any Ray Lewis type hitting this guy; that would be interesting.

You have to remember in the day Lomu was the exception not the rule.

As a result 15 years later, rugby is a game where everybody is bigger. If you look at clips now of games you will see a different body shape than in 95.

 

[shmessy]

Looking at that video, I'd have to say that guy was the "Anti-Maroney".

 

[WelshPat]

Jerry Jones tried to sign him for the Cowboys, but he had never played football and had guaranteed money from rugby.

 

[zoffle]

Here are a couple of others:

Christian Cullen:

YouTube - Christian Cullen's All Black Tries

Rupeni Caucau:

YouTube - Rupeni Caucau-Best rugby winger of all time[part 1]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-G6XdqU9lg&feature=related

 

[WelshPat]

You have to remember in the day Lomu was the exception not the rule.

As a result 15 years later, rugby is a game where everybody is bigger. If you look at clips now of games you will see a different body shape than in 95.

Is Jim Brown a fair comparison? They were both so much better than the competition at the time that they just dominate.

 

[ausbacker]

Well, Americans tackle harder. But we learned our lessons with our hard tackling when we did a tour of Scotland. The teams we played were smaller than us, and all they tried to do was wrap us up. Meanwhile, we were creaming them and taking them down. The problem was, they were getting the ball out quicker than we could hit them, and while we were lying on the ground after our hard hits, the ball was flying out to the wing, and those little guys were demolishing us on the scoreboard. I don't think solid American tackling counts as much in the international game. On a lot of those Lomu runs, you see a wing to his outside. He could easily pass the ball of to a teammate, but each time he takes the defender on, and it's like the defender is both shocked and scared at the same time. A few guy stuck their noses in and were bowled over.

No you don't. You may hit harder on the odd occasion but Rugby League players go hammer and tong and tackle each other harder, especially the Kiwis in their 3 year period of dominance before they collapse in a heap and choke during World Cups.

Lomu was a freak of nature. Unfortunately he was heavily affected by a kidney disorder and was never the same after being diagnosed.

 

[WelshPat]

Shayne Williams is the white Darren Sproles

YouTube - Welsh Rugby - Shane Williams - Legend

 

[zoffle]

on the defensive side of the ball:

Jerry Collins:
YouTube - Jerry Collins tribute

 

[zoffle]

Shayne Williams is the white Darren Sproles

YouTube - Welsh Rugby - Shane Williams - Legend

Slippery little ****er isn't he. the try at the end is ridiculous.

 

[Isaac]

Too bad none of those tacklers put a shoulder or a body into the guy--I would have liked to see if he could handle a proper NFL collision.

 

[Big-T]

Seattle tried signing Greg Inglis this year apparently to play TE and return kicks, he's 6'5" 236lbs:

YouTube - Best of Greg Inglis

YouTube - Greg Inglis Tribute

Brilliant, brilliant player.

Too bad none of those tacklers put a shoulder or a body into the guy--I would have liked to see if he could handle a proper NFL collision.

Wouldn't get that problem with a Rugby League player, every tackle has the same impact as a 40mph car crash and they don't wear padding.