Tag: HARLEQUINS

Aviva Premiership Rugby Football Union clubs Saracens FC as well as Harlequins FC will be among a host of clubs from England that will be keeping a close watch on a trial taking place in the United States of America which will see a number of American Football players who are keen on giving the Rugby Union game a try.

The trial will be taking place over a two day period on the 5^th and 6^th of April in the National Football League stadium of the Minnesota Vikings and overall, more than 180 athletes are set to attend the trial. Recently, Hayden Smith of Saracens FC left the club on a temporary basis to give the NFL a try and this could well see a reversal in that trend as well and the Harlequins FC as well as their London counterparts’ hierarchy are keen on making a splash across the pond.

Former Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan will be overseeing the trial in April and he has also tipped a number of players to make the grade in England as well as in Europe.

He stated that some of the players who are expected to come on trial are tremendous athletes who have just missed out on a professional contract with an NFL side by the skin of their teeth or have been cut out from their sides but still want to make it as a professional.

O’Sullivan also mentioned that most of them have not played rugby but having played in the NFL, they are aware of the game and being highly talented, it wouldn’t be too difficult in turning them into professional rugby players.

He confirmed scouts from Saracens FC as well as Harlequins FC and French club Grenoble are coming over and he expects more European clubs to send scouts too.

Aviva Premiership Rugby Football Union club Harlequins FC have brought in former England international winger Paul Sackey to England back from France to cover for the injured Ross Chisholm who tore and ACL during the club’s participation in the JP Morgan Chase Premiership Rugby Sevens last week.

And the club moved in swiftly to bring a player who established a reputation for being one of the most consistent and free scoring wingers in the English game when he was playing in the Aviva Premiership back to London as they look to fill the void left by Chisholm, who is expected to be sidelined for the majority of the season. The 33 year old former England Sevens and England Saxons player spent the last three seasons in France, playing for the two powerhouse clubs Stade Francais and Toulon during his stint across the English Channel.

Speaking of his new signing, Harlequins FC Director of Rugby Conor O’Shea stated that it is great for the club to be able to sign a player of the ability as well as experience of Paul Sackey. He went on to add that the player is in top physical condition and he knows how much he wants to succeed in England and finish his career on a high.

Sackey, a former player for the London Wasps and the London Irish, moves to the club as an injury dispensation cover and stated that he wanted to move back to England and finish his career there and to be given the chance to represent Harlequins FC is extremely exciting for him as well. He mentioned that being born and brought up in London, he knows the club inside out and knows many of the players as well and has also admired the club’s style of play over the last few seasons.