RugbyRebels

BBC News - Christian Wade: Ex-Wasps player scores sensational 65-yard touchdown on Buffalo Bills debut
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/american-football/49289561

Still got it! [emoji106]

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I still can't see that as anything but a waste of talent. What a shame. Still, good luck to him, as he seems a great guy and obviously has a lot invested in it.

Puja

I wouldn't say it was a waste of talent as he is still going to be using his talent, but I still think it's a loss for rugby. I'd have him in the England squad too, but he just doesn't fit in.

I wouldn’t say it was sensational. It was a wide open gap that anyone with half an ability and turn of speed should score. And against mediocre (by NFL standards) players.

I'm delighted for him

Puja wrote:I still can't see that as anything but a waste of talent. What a shame. Still, good luck to him, as he seems a great guy and obviously has a lot invested in it.

Puja

Not at all. He gets to play in a sport that exaggerates his strengths and reduces his weaknesses. I'd say it's a good use of talents. Even if I don't get American Football.

Stom wrote:

Puja wrote:I still can't see that as anything but a waste of talent. What a shame. Still, good luck to him, as he seems a great guy and obviously has a lot invested in it.

Puja

Not at all. He gets to play in a sport that exaggerates his strengths and reduces his weaknesses. I'd say it's a good use of talents. Even if I don't get American Football.

More money and less game time. Seems like a no brainer......if he cracks it.

To clarify, it's a waste of his talents to me, as I don't give two short sh*ts about Yank Football and would be much happier if they took their beady eyes off our players. I get that he's using them to forge himself a new career and good luck to him. Still rather see him playing a proper sport.

Puja

He is third in the all-time Premiership try-scorers list with 82 and has one England cap.

Did anyone else think this sounded odd?

CunningPunter wrote:He is third in the all-time Premiership try-scorers list with 82 and has one England cap.

Did anyone else think this sounded odd?

Steve Hanley?

Epaminondas Pules wrote:I wouldn’t say it was sensational. It was a wide open gap that anyone with half an ability and turn of speed should score. And against mediocre (by NFL standards) players.

That's pretty much what I thought.

Bet he couldn't believe how easy that was. Basically a run in when you've got a gap like that.

First game in the NFL, first touch in the NFL (possibly any American Football game), within 12 months of starting to learn the game, in slippery conditions and with the ability to pick out the, admittedly huge, hole in the defensive line and then make some elite athletes look slow. I’m not saying he’s Saquon Barkley but it’s one hell of a start to his career.
Come one EP, don’t forget the mental side of the game. New to the game, playing for a contract. You need to take that all in to account.

Beasties wrote:Bet he couldn't believe how easy that was. Basically a run in when you've got a gap like that.

Will be called back by the TMO though - there was definitely blocking there.

In fairness to him, that was a nice step to change direction in the first place, especially when you consider he's wearing a suit of armour.

Puja

Mellsblue wrote:First game in the NFL, first touch in the NFL (possibly any American Football game), within 12 months of starting to learn the game, in slippery conditions and with the ability to pick out the, admittedly huge, hole in the defensive line and then make some elite athletes look slow. I’m not saying he’s Saquon Barkley but it’s one hell of a start to his career.
Come one EP, don’t forget the mental side of the game. New to the game, playing for a contract. You need to take that all in to account.

Not sure he can play in the NFL for another year. A good start is all you can say tbh

Banquo wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:First game in the NFL, first touch in the NFL (possibly any American Football game), within 12 months of starting to learn the game, in slippery conditions and with the ability to pick out the, admittedly huge, hole in the defensive line and then make some elite athletes look slow. I’m not saying he’s Saquon Barkley but it’s one hell of a start to his career.
Come one EP, don’t forget the mental side of the game. New to the game, playing for a contract. You need to take that all in to account.

Not sure he can play in the NFL for another year. A good start is all you can say tbh

Ah, ok. Thought he was guaranteed a place on the practice squad but could be bumped up to the full squad if deemed good enough.

Mellsblue wrote:

Banquo wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:First game in the NFL, first touch in the NFL (possibly any American Football game), within 12 months of starting to learn the game, in slippery conditions and with the ability to pick out the, admittedly huge, hole in the defensive line and then make some elite athletes look slow. I’m not saying he’s Saquon Barkley but it’s one hell of a start to his career.
Come one EP, don’t forget the mental side of the game. New to the game, playing for a contract. You need to take that all in to account.

Not sure he can play in the NFL for another year. A good start is all you can say tbh

Ah, ok. Thought he was guaranteed a place on the practice squad but could be bumped up to the full squad if deemed good enough.

I 'heard' , so could be bollox, that there was an international player pathway that needed to be adhered to.

Banquo wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:

Banquo wrote: Not sure he can play in the NFL for another year. A good start is all you can say tbh

Ah, ok. Thought he was guaranteed a place on the practice squad but could be bumped up to the full squad if deemed good enough.

I 'heard' , so could be bollox, that there was an international player pathway that needed to be adhered to.

Does that vary depending on whether he's a white or black immigrant? Which sadly seems possible for some reason

Banquo wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:

Banquo wrote: Not sure he can play in the NFL for another year. A good start is all you can say tbh

Ah, ok. Thought he was guaranteed a place on the practice squad but could be bumped up to the full squad if deemed good enough.

I 'heard' , so could be bollox, that there was an international player pathway that needed to be adhered to.

Can’t find the rules and regs - admittedly, I didn’t look beyond the first page of google - but the IPP players can be signed as free agents which presumably would mean a shot at the full squad. Whether not being signed as a free agent, and therefore being assigned to a team, means they are practice squad only I don’t know.

I believe the rules of the IPP state that he's guaranteed a role on the practice squad for 1 season, with his wages not being paid by the franchise. He can't play NFL this first season, only practice games, but next season his franchise will have first dibs on signing him to the main squad if they want.

Puja

Puja wrote:I believe the rules of the IPP state that he's guaranteed a role on the practice squad for 1 season, with his wages not being paid by the franchise. He can't play NFL this first season, only practice games, but next season his franchise will have first dibs on signing him to the main squad if they want.

Puja

Plus the bills get an extra slot of their practice squad on which to stash him.

One touch of the ball. You cant say he didn't make it count.

Mellsblue wrote:First game in the NFL, first touch in the NFL (possibly any American Football game), within 12 months of starting to learn the game, in slippery conditions and with the ability to pick out the, admittedly huge, hole in the defensive line and then make some elite athletes look slow. I’m not saying he’s Saquon Barkley but it’s one hell of a start to his career.
Come one EP, don’t forget the mental side of the game. New to the game, playing for a contract. You need to take that all in to account.

In NFL terms it was a seriously easy run in for any even vaguely adequate running back. It’s a good start and an easy finish against weak opposition. This is a distance from elite level. Like a All Star yank coming into rugby and scoring a decent try in ND2!

Epaminondas Pules wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:First game in the NFL, first touch in the NFL (possibly any American Football game), within 12 months of starting to learn the game, in slippery conditions and with the ability to pick out the, admittedly huge, hole in the defensive line and then make some elite athletes look slow. I’m not saying he’s Saquon Barkley but it’s one hell of a start to his career.
Come one EP, don’t forget the mental side of the game. New to the game, playing for a contract. You need to take that all in to account.

In NFL terms it was a seriously easy run in for any even vaguely adequate running back. It’s a good start and an easy finish against weak opposition. This is a distance from elite level. Like a All Star yank coming into rugby and scoring a decent try in ND2!

I might just take the analysis from his coach and team mate instead:

"Wade was awarded the game ball by the Bills' head coach Sean McDermott.

"Huge congratulations to Christian Wade," said Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

"Watching him score that touchdown was one of the coolest experiences of my football career and I wasn't even on the field."

Eugene Wrayburn wrote:

Epaminondas Pules wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:First game in the NFL, first touch in the NFL (possibly any American Football game), within 12 months of starting to learn the game, in slippery conditions and with the ability to pick out the, admittedly huge, hole in the defensive line and then make some elite athletes look slow. I’m not saying he’s Saquon Barkley but it’s one hell of a start to his career.
Come one EP, don’t forget the mental side of the game. New to the game, playing for a contract. You need to take that all in to account.

In NFL terms it was a seriously easy run in for any even vaguely adequate running back. It’s a good start and an easy finish against weak opposition. This is a distance from elite level. Like a All Star yank coming into rugby and scoring a decent try in ND2!

I might just take the analysis from his coach and team mate instead:

"Wade was awarded the game ball by the Bills' head coach Sean McDermott.

"Huge congratulations to Christian Wade," said Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

"Watching him score that touchdown was one of the coolest experiences of my football career and I wasn't even on the field."

Yeah cause that says loads about the standard doesn’t it. A filler QB who has been at the Bills for a year. He did well. Took his chance. Which you’d expect most prospects to take. But hands off cocks chaps. This really isn’t a jizzorama moment!

Mellsblue wrote:

CunningPunter wrote:He is third in the all-time Premiership try-scorers list with 82 and has one England cap.

Did anyone else think this sounded odd?

Steve Hanley?

Varndell can't have had many more.

It's probably not a coincidence.