Rugby Players that started in Soccer (ahem Association Football)

[AngrySeahorse]

I'm trying to settle another pointless argument that I probably should have just not bothered to getting into....

Anyways, I cant remember player names exactly but I'm sure we've had or still have some very good players at least at Super Rugby level that actually started in Soccer & in some cases played Soccer well into their late teens before coming over to the game played in heaven.

A mate of mine says its rare. I don't believe it.

I don't care if its OZ, NZ, SA, or even from NH. Anyone out there have examples for me of Rugby players that started in Soccer first?

 

[Godfrey]

Higgers?

 

[Brisbok]

I seem to remember hearing Chris Latham played soccer late into his teens before starting to play rugby.

 

[young gun]

John Flett - Wallaby early 90's, didn't play rugby until 18

 

[Braveheart81]

This is certainly not at the elite level, but a guy in my year at school played in the First XV in year 11 as the 7 and then injured his shoulder requiring a reconstruction which effectively killed his rugby career.

In year 12 he took up soccer having never played it and made the First XI.

He was just a genuinely talented sportsman.

 

[louie]

pretty sure Joe Roff did for a while. least till he was 15-16. He played both.

 

[Brisbok]

...oh and Conrad Jantjes, ex-Stormers and Springbok fullback played SA Schools Soccer, Rugby and Cricket. Pretty sure he played some senior First Class Cricket in South Africa before focussing solely on rugby. Jantjes also trialed at Chelsea when he was 14.

Similarly, Herschelle Gibbs played SA Schools Cricket, Rugby and Soccer.

 

[Bruce Ross]

I'd be reasonably confident that neither Benn Robinson, Salesi Ma'afu nor Lawrie Weeks did, but don't quote me on that.

 

[suckerforred]

Higgers and Latham definitely.

 

[Schadenfreude]

I think you'll find that talented sportsmen - given the opportunity - will excel at most sports. Especially at school, the fittest kids usually get to play in the first of everything.

 

[Cave Dweller]

He did not ened up playing rugby but Hershelle Gibbs was a very good footballer and Rugby player.

But what do you constitute as a good footballer? Sunday league is a long way from gifted players

 

[tigerland12]

I played football with Liam Gill when we were like 7-9 or something? haha Does that count?

 

[matty_k]

Was the guy who kicked the goals for the 1995 English RWC team a footballer originally? I have a vague memory of someone telling me this.

 

[Cave Dweller]

I nutmegged Walter Sameul once when I was 14 at football clinic where they gave away autographs and chatted with the community member and such. In a pro match he would have broken my legs lol

Was the guy who kicked the goals for the 1995 English RWC team a footballer originally? I have a vague memory of someone telling me this.

Rob Andrew? Michael Catt looked more like a goal keeper to me when Jonah stumbled over him

Kevin Muscat. I really thinks he played rugby or some violent sports somewhere prior to playing pro football. In the football forums they always have these posts as All Time World XI. And he will be always be on my list. People will go WTF Kevin Muscat? I just go well he ended more careers and made more people pee themselves than Cocaine. Messi, Ronaldo, Zidane, Pele will get rid of the ball when they see him storming at them.

Read this specially the reputation part
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Muscat

 

[Nusadan]

Am sure Michael Jones the famed ABs flanker played soccer when he was younger...

 

[Jnor]

I'd say it's pretty rare

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Chris Latham! That's the player whose name I couldn't remember.

Plenty of good ammo with those examples.

I wasn't exactly interested in how good the players were at Soccer, just that they played it for a while & came into Rugby later & did well at Rugby.

@Tigerland12 I'd count it!

In Newcastle club land men's & women's we have quite a few former soccer players (myself one of them), the conversation came up at training. Cheers for the info!

I had been told also today that Luke McAllister is another although I think he was very young.

 

[Cave Dweller]

How about William Web Ellis?

 

[Bardon]

Not a S15 player but Brian O'Driscoill player soccer and Gaelic Football as a kid before taking up Rugby.

 

[young gun]

I think Ali Williams was also a soccer player, until he was about 16.

I'm sure I read somewwhere that Luke McAlister had been offered a junior Man U contract when he was young, and I'm thinking this was when he was in his teens.

Ah, another one, pretty sure Pat McCabe played soccer until high school.