RWU HQ – There was some major rugby news out of the United States earlier this week, and it involved a new dual-sport athlete giving
rugby a try.
The National Rugby Football League announced earlier this week that former Cleveland Browns running back Willis McGahee will take part in the league’s upcoming combine in January in Los Angeles.
McGahee took to Twitter to confirm that he was participating in the combine telling a follower that he’d be in the combine’s first group.
After his season with the Browns last fall McGahee said that he felt that he still had four more years left in the tank, but sadly general managers never came calling. With that being said, the 11-year NFL running back decided to change careers, giving rugby a shot.
As we’ve seen many times before that players who usually fade out in football give rugby a try, but this time it isn’t a Division I FCS football star, but a former Pro Bowl running back. Yes, McGahee is now too old to be a running back in the NFL, due to the short shelf life at the position, but that doesn’t mean he’s not in good enough shape to play a sport like rugby at a high level. Heck, former Green Bay Packers running back Ahman Green is playing rugby and he’s got a few years on the longtime Baltimore Ravens running back.
McGahee taking a chance participating in the NRFL combine is exactly what this start up league needs. At the very least McGahee will attract a few extra reporters and athletes to the combine, which certainly won’t help the NRFL out.
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