Smith: Swaps Sarries for the Jets
Saracens lock Hayden Smith will switch sporting codes after signing a three-year contract to join NFL side New York Jets.
Smith, who has represented the USA Eagles in 18 Tests confirmed that he had workout with the Jets at the start of the year and will play as tight end.
"I've always said that you have to follow your dream," Smith told USA Today Sports.
"It's worked out well for me so far but its without a doubt the biggest step that I'll be taking and it's something that I'm very excited about."
Australian-born Smith moved to the USA to play college basketball in 2002 but soon switched to rugby and made his Test debut in 2008.
He joined Saracens at the start of the 2008/2009 season and played in all four matches for the Eagles' campaign at the World Cup in New Zealand last year.
He has been struggling to cement a place in Saracens senior team due to injuries and the emergence of Steve Borthwick and Mouritz Botha as the Aviva Premiership champions' first-choice lock combination.
Former NFL tight ends coach Tim Brewster, who helped Smith in his bid to join the NFL, was surprised how easily the 26-year-old adapted to his new sport.
"I was really amazed at a couple of things," explained Brewster.
"First, his ability to assimilate all the information I was throwing at him.
"Football makes sense to the kid. Second, his work ethic off the charts. He's a way above average athlete for the position. I think the kid has an outstanding future in the National Football League," he added.
Comments
DutchWing says...
NFL = obese men, with a few sprinters, but none of them can convert to rugby because they all lack fitness. I know shot put athletes that run a 40m in 5.5 seconds, but those won't last on a rugby field either. NFL is just too boring for people who actually enjoy sports. You won't get any fun out of it, only when you grow up with a tailor made sport for tv. It's a shame people can get brainwashed to accept the amount of ad-breaks there are. Hence the well run league, but I won't sell out my sport and fun to get better payed players.
And it has sense to compare the sports, they originate from the same game, hence all the codes have the word football in their names: Rugby Football, Football, American Football, Canadian Football, College Football, Australian Rules Football.
Bye bye Hayden Smith, I'd prefer to get my money by sitting 90% of the game time on the bench too. And without grewsome fitness drills every pre-season. Just weights weights weights...
Posted 22:57 04th April 2012
kenttaff says...
i dont know what any of this means but it seems that a lot of you have got very tight ends!!
thought this was a rugby union site editor
Posted 20:55 04th April 2012
Chubbylugs says...
Tight end sits at one end of the line of scrimmage on offensive plays. They effectively act as a blocker / create holes on running plays. They also are a go to guy if the qb is in trouble.
I say fair play and well done to the guy. The number of players that make the grade at Nfl is probably less than one hundreth of a percent out a huge pool of players in the states. You have to be pretty special physically
I quite like the game personally. I wish it flowed more, but the skill and depth of the plays, particularly running plays is something rugby could learn from
Posted 20:36 04th April 2012
5Lock4ward says...
If you guys have a question for me feel free to ask me directly; don't just hide a snotty remark in the end of a comment to one another. I'm an American born and raised, I know all about the NFL. If I sound bitter it's because the Eagles lost a highly talented athlete who already had a professional rugby contract to a sport that in my opinion is inferior. I mentioned Palamo b/c he's in the same boat except he threw it (a contract w/ Biarritz) all out for a chance to walk onto a college football program. I find the NFL to be boring, always have. I personally don't enjoy watching fat men dance every single time they make a tackle. Nor do I enjoy 7 min. worth of car commercials for every 6 seconds of game play which was preceded by 23 seconds worth of clock killing aka 'clock management.' If you enjoy that and find it sporting, wonderful for you! I've also never understood why a 60 minute game takes 3+ hours to complete. It's why rugby is so appealing to me. And Chocol8thunda the NFL is not tougher. They hit with a higher level of force (mind you I didn't say tackle b/c that's a lost art in the NFL) but get hit fewer times per game. There was a sports science show which did a direct comparison and found the sports even in regards to impact severity. Not to mention that every player in the NFL is one dimensional. Big deal Reggie Bush is in great shape. Can he pass while moving? Can he make a tackle after he fumbles the ball (again)? Can he kick for territory? No sir, he cannot and nor can anyone else in the NFL. In rugby does the other team get a penalty when a tackler brushes the head of a fly-half with his finger-tips? No sir they do not. Inferior; just like I said.
Posted 20:12 04th April 2012
golden_statenba says...
chocol8thunda
Agree with you 100% I don't know how people can compare the two sports as they are nothing alike. They only people you will hear saying rugby is better blah blah are bent up rugby fans as most die hard NFL fans don't know what the hell rugby is. The fact that some of the top receiver's in the NFL run 40 yards in 4.24s blows the obese men argument out of the water. My favourite sport is basketball I also like international rugby but I think people like 5Lock4ward get a little tetchy when your world does not revolve around Union. Maybe a bitter about a failed carrier?
Posted 18:48 04th April 2012
chocol8thunda says...
@ATG77, if can't understand baseball or basketball 9criket makes absolutely no sense, not mention tea breaks? You call that a sport), you're an idiot!! Good for him, I think there could definitely some positions that could make the transition , #8, centres and some props.
@5locl4ward, sport of obese men? lol Faster, bigger. Running backs are in amazing shape, well every player is. Offensive linemen are 300-340 pounds and can run a 40 in about 6 seconds. There's a guy at the combine this year that 340 and ran a 5.0!! That's fast.
the rugby vs football argument is old. Most rugby fans no next o nothing about football and vice versa. It's like comparing cricket to baseball. I've played both, still play rugby. Love both of them. Football is chess with humans and way more violent (reason for pads), hence why 16 games is the season. The avg player only last around 4 years. Rugby on the other hand is tougher (not to say NFL players are weak, cause they're not). There's a reason that there's no cross over guys, it's simply to hard. If America cared about rugby like they do the NFL (best run league in the world btw), they would in a generation be the best team. They have the infrastructure, money and above all else the athletes. Once 7s is displayed in Rio, the game will explode in America. for the record, I'm Welsh and grew up in British Columbia. Also, to the layman, rugby is confusing. Apples and oranges really.
Posted 16:17 04th April 2012
APV1 says...
Born in NSW - probably grew up playing league (yes, I'm guessing!)
"...moved to the USA to play college basketball in 2002"
"...soon switched to rugby..."
"...will switch sporting codes after signing a three-year contract to join NFL side New York Jets."
I also heard that the North American Tiddlywinks Association (yes, there is such a thing!) are looking for a new Winker, so he may opt to head off there in a while.
I understand his frustration, being behind Borthwick and Botha in the pecking order, but there are other teams available. This is a sell-out, nothing more.
But, it's his choice to make and who wouldn't want a big fat pay-cheque to sit on your tight end all day..?
In answer to atg77's query about what a "tight end" actually is, according to Wiki (the oracle of all knowledge) it's quite offensive. Or part of the Offensive Line. I forget which.
Posted 16:12 04th April 2012
rugger1010 says...
Also, I just want to point out how incredible it is for 1 person to have such a range of skills and athletic ability to play college basketball, Aviva Premiership and World Cup rugby (albeit with the USA), and NFL football. That would be like me going to Australia and reaching the highest levels of Aussie Rules, Cricket, and playing for the Rebels, unbelievable... Good on this guy for chasing his dream, can't fault him for that.
Posted 16:07 04th April 2012
Golden_statenba says...
Nice move off to the big show
Shame it's the Jets tho
Posted 15:26 04th April 2012
rugger1010 says...
I haven't seen anything about his contract besides it being 3 years long, but hell, even if he makes the league minimum of $850,000/yr, good on him! All those years of training and hours in the gym are paying off, can't be bitter or butt-hurt about that...
Posted 15:19 04th April 2012
atg77 says...
Anyone know what a tight end is? And is this guy an Aussie or what?...is not clear... That sport never made sense to me... how you could call a game(NFL) with so much stopping and starting entertaining is completely beyond my comprehension. If it didnt change the entire team every five minutes and actually passed the ball more than once following the scrimmage, it might actually be vaguely entertaining. Until that happens, I would say it remains as puzzling and pointless as baseball and basketball.
Posted 14:49 04th April 2012
papachinzo says...
J.E.T.S, Jets Jets Jets!
Good luck to him, wonder how he'll get on?
Posted 13:45 04th April 2012
5Lock4ward says...
He was only struggling to grasp a starting spot for Saracens b/c of his lack of dedication to the sport of rugby. You're not going to be in the first 15 when you're seeking a pro contract in another sport. I'm glad to see him go. It makes room for an actual American in the Eagles squad. Enjoy the sport of overly padded obese men. While you're at it bring Thretton Palamo with you. Sell outs.
Posted 12:46 04th April 2012
macte says...
Ok, he's just taking a break from his athlete's career.
I'm surprised to see that at his age he already needs some rest.
Posted 12:45 04th April 2012