By Mark Eckel/Engagement Insider
Ahman Green always had the sport of rugby nestled somewhere in the back of his mind.
It may have gotten shoved around a bit while he was putting together an All-America career as a running back at the University of Nebraska; getting drafted by the Seattle Seahwaks; and setting career marks in rushing yards for the Green Bay Packers.
Now, six years after his last NFL carry Green, the four-time Pro Bowl running back for the Packers, is part of American Rugby.
August 8, Green will be playing in the inaugural Independence Cup, the first-ever U.S. Elite Professional Rugby match, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Green will be part of the USA’s NRFL’s Rough Riders, who will take on the world-renown Leicester Tigers.
“When I was a little kid, I watched rugby on TV,’’ Green said. “It was similar to football, so I liked it. A lot of it was from Australia and New Zealand. I never saw it in person or played it, I just saw it on TV.
“Through the years I stayed interested, and then through football I met some people, who were involved. Somebody who knew somebody who knew somebody got us together.’’
Soon after his NFL days ended, Green worked on getting a Rugby club started in Green Bay and did so with the Ball Striker Rugby Club, which plays during the summer against teams throughout the midwest.
“It’s not much different than football in terms of getting in shape for it,’’ Green said. “There are some different movements, more lateral, but it’s a lot of the same. The major difference is the endurance. You really have to train for the endurance.’’
In rugby there isn’t an offense and a defense; the same players stay on the field and you can switch from one to the other on the drop of a ball. You also have to be a quarterback, a running back and a receiver.
“I feel natural when I’m running with the ball, trying to score a touchdown,’’ Green said. “But once you get the ball, you kind of have to be the quarterback, too. You have to make a nice crisp pass and then set yourself to receive another pass. You always have to be thinking ahead.’’
Green’s thoughts of rugby, while he was starring in football now have him as part of the USA’s national team that will represent the country this summer and hopefully in future Olympics.
“We’re newbies here in the U.S.’’ Green said. “We’re playing a team, in the Tigers, that’s the best of the best. We have a lot of young guys and other guys who haven’t played a lot of rugby. But you have to start somewhere. You can’t be afraid to try something new. That’s why I’m doing this. I’ve always loved new things. I loved challenges. So I’m trying rugby.’’
And it’s something he hopes catches on around the country.
“I think it will,’’ he said. “With the Olympics right around the corner, that will put it in people’s head. It’s another option for a kid to play, or for a parent to have their kid to play.’’
Green, at 38 years old, is one of the senior members of the team, but his athletic prowess and NFL knowhow has made an almost immediate difference.
“I’m doing OK,’’ Green says with a chuckle. “What I’ve really gotten good at is passing the ball. I throw the ball pretty well.’’ He’s also enjoying it.
“I’m loving it,’’ he said. “I’m 38 so I’m definitely one of the older guys, most of the guys are in their 20s.’’
And it doesn’t matter that he was a star in the NFL not that long ago. Here he’s just a rugby player trying to make his mark. Some teammates and opponents don’t even know who he is right away.
“I’ve always been a team player, everything else was just a bonus,’’ Green said. “I just wanted to win games, win a lot of games. Until I do something, they don’t even know who I am. Then when I do, it’s like ‘oh yeah, no wonder he was able to do that’.”