|
It would take more than eight weeks for an all-NFL team to get up to speed and 'dominate' in Rugby. I played football my entire life as well as college for two years. I switched to Rugby later in college, and played in the military for a few years. Had the opportunity to play in Germany on a German club, and while in Sinai Egypt against a team from NZ/AUS, and Fiji... I was schooled. The Fijians were laughing at us and beat us by more than 70. The Germans were on another level.
One thing many folks who have not played don't understand, Rugby isn't about dominating the line of scrimmage (scrum, or ruck) as much as it is about pure passing. The Fijians were unbelievably quick and adept at passing. The New Zealand/Aussie team were no where near our size/strength, but were very disciplined and beautiful at moving the ball down field.
Yes, NFL players as individuals could do well after a few weeks of practice and hold their own. An entire side (team) made up of NFL football players would need a complete season before they could even hope to be respectable.
Check out Dhani Jones (Former NFL Linebacker for the Eagles, Bengals and Saints) who played with a club team in the UK--- his quote "I've got more lactic acid in my body, than I ever had after a football game...that's a fact." This is a bunch of bartenders, truck drivers, and bankers he's playing with.
|