Quote Originally Posted by Rock_Flock_of_Five View Post

I also played the game myself for a couple of seasons (corner-back). Just before I joined the Cardiff Tigers, they were generously sponsored by a Bridgend business, 'Alignrite'. This enabled them to sign 3 Americans... Steve David, Clancy Barone and Steve Pisarkiewicz.

Pisarkiewicz was an ex-NFL quarterback with the Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers. At that time, he was in his mid 30's and in receipt of an NFL pension.
One day in training, he threw the ball to one of the receivers with such velocity (it was a leather ball with laces) that the wide-receiver had to later have butterfly stitches to his hand (he later made sure he wore gloves at all times!).
I was a founder member of the Manx Comets back in 1985 (Year of Haley’s comet). Football in winter, gridiron in summer. The team was made up local rugby players. We played in the North West conference, covering Cheshire & Merseyside, so Wigan, Warrington, Chester, Runcorn etc. First season we went 2-14. In the summer before the 2nd season we were training & a guy walked over and was shocked that we were playing. He was a Canadian diver, who worked on the gas rigs in Morecombe bay, they went to the Island to avoid Uk tax. He was a college QB and threw the ball 50-60 yards no problem. The following weeks he brought his mates along, all Canadian or US college players. That season we went 15-1 & lost in the playoff semi final. The only side to beat us were Wigan Wolves aka Wigan St Patrick the UKs #1 amateur Rugby League side. I played Tight End & Free Safety