Could NFL players hold their own in a game of Rugby?

[WhiteWhale]

Originally Posted by Chiefs=Good

Hey junior. I love nfl. Im on an nfl board. I dont think its soft and do not think rugby players are tougher. However to call proffesional athletes of a sport which is played internationally not athletic or not as athletic as nfl players is simply wrong. It goes both ways. Surely if gridiron players were soo superior then the US would have a team of cats offs that play and dominate at the international level. But they dont.

If you cant identify in your close minded brain that other sports outside of the nfl and the US have equally athletic proffesionals too then you are simply a fool.

Are you telling me that you think Rugby is pulling the same caliber of athletes as the NFL?

I agree that they're different sports and walking from one to another is unlikely because they're nuanced. That shit is already expected to be known at a pro level. Even NFL players would have to learn to play the game efficiently regardless of their natural ability.

Having said that... America has 15 times more people than Australia. As a matter of fact America has twice as many black people (who are, be honest, the best athletes) as Australia has total people in their country. Also, our country puts an almost ridiculous emphasis on athletics starting at a very young age.

There is a dramatic difference in terms of athletic ability to anyone being objective.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by PornChief

Among Australian Rugby League players and coaches, NFL guys are regarded as soft as shit, which is why they have zero interest in signing them. Some might be useful at league but they're going to have to be able to run for 80 minutes flat out. And be able to run with the ball. And tackle. Sorry to ruin the fantasy.

Could be true but this is a hypothetical question, if given the desire to convert to another sport, which would have the best chance.

desire mitigates 'soft' to a certain extent


Which is more likely ... an NFL player decides to toughen up and play rugby or a rugby player grows 10 inches/100 pounds and still run like a gazelle to play in the NFL?

easier to do 'get tougher' or 'change your body size'


since for an adult growing taller etc is virtually impossible, i chose getting tougher

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by PornChief

Among Australian Rugby League players and coaches, NFL guys are regarded as soft as shit, which is why they have zero interest in signing them. Some might be useful at league but they're going to have to be able to run for 80 minutes flat out. And be able to run with the ball. And tackle. Sorry to ruin the fantasy.

This was what I was wondering.

There are no pads in Rugby. Yes everyone and their friends have played many games of tackle football back in the day. I personally havent played an all out tackle game in almost 10yrs.

I assume the same is for most people who play competitively. Esp once you get into HS, most of these guys that go on to play in college on scholarships aren't going to to be playing in too many pick-up all out tackling backyard games. And don't get me wrong these NFL players are tough and they go through a lot of banging around getting roughed up bumps and bruises and sprains and they always play hurt etc, but these guys haven't played in actual no-pad all out tackling backyard pick-up games in years, and Id imagine you'd have to get your body conditioned to getting hit like that, at that kind of level against people who are bigger than those you grew up with in your early teens where even though you're without pads, the hits you take aren't exactly full boar all out de-cleating hits. You usually don't try to knock someone's head off from their blindside in a pick-up game etc.

These rugby guys are tough as shit and you can't hurt these guys. I'd think there's an argument that if the NFL players got banged around by these guys a little bit and get bumped and bruised from not having pads on and their bodies not being accustomed to that, that they'd be too soft to really compete against these rugby players. And there's the other argument that the NFL guys size, power, and overall athleticism is just too much for the Rugby players to handle and you get guys like Adrian Peterson, and these 6ft 220 RB's, FB's and Safeties that can run like the wind and juke like they can leaving these Rugby guys left in their dust and it would be just too much.

[Bowser]

[Bowser]

This might draw a flag in the NFL...

[Gonzo]

It's a tough game. Those guys play pretty dirty. I'd guess the NFL guys would beat the crap out of the first Irishman that tried to give him a "thumbs up" though.

[Bowser]

This is a pretty wicked shot, though

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Bowser

This is a pretty wicked shot, though

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JC6CFbeklT..._collision.gif

NFL safeties do that all the time, at least before the rule changes

not trying to insult rugby players, they are some tough mofos

[Chiefs=Champions]

Originally Posted by Bowser

This is a pretty wicked shot, though

Not rugby. Thats afl which is NOTHING like rugby.

[MahiMike]

Only the linebackers would do well. The rest would be looking for their armor. As soon as they got a hangnail, they would want medical attention. Rugby guys are badass.

[PornChief]

[QUOTE=Bowser;10768660
youre-doing-it-wrong-australia.[/QUOTE]
not Australian, you're doing it wrong.

The reason you don't see players from one game in the other is they have completely different skill sets. There's aussies in the NFL, mostly punters and that kid that plays NT somewhere, I forget his name.
Rugby League isn't Rugby, Rugby's for fat poofs.

[Chiefs=Champions]

Originally Posted by PornChief

not Australian, you're doing it wrong.

The reason you don't see players from one game in the other is they have completely different skill sets. There's aussies in the NFL, mostly punters and that kid that plays NT somewhere, I forget his name.
Rugby League isn't Rugby, Rugby's for fat poofs.

Oh look a sane person.

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by Chiefs=Good

Oh look a sane person.

And a team could easily be made of LBers, TE's, WR's and DBs.

And they would DOMINATE.

[Chiefs=Champions]

Originally Posted by beach tribe

And a team could easily be made of LBers, TE's, WR's and DBs.

And they would DOMINATE.

Hey man Bray is pretty neat. I like you.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by PornChief

not Australian, you're doing it wrong.

The reason you don't see players from one game in the other is they have completely different skill sets. There's aussies in the NFL, mostly punters and that kid that plays NT somewhere, I forget his name.
Rugby League isn't Rugby, Rugby's for fat poofs.

Wow, you took that post seriously. That really happened. Would never have guessed.