Have any Australian Rugby League or Union players ever played in the NFL in the US?

Question

I'm wondering if there have been any cases where rugby league or union players have gone over to play in the US. I know that there have been a few AFL ('Aussie Rules') players who have gone over as punters. I'm also intersted in players who have gone over as running backs, recivers or defensive players.

Answer 1

Colin Scotts is the only person that I know of, but he was only a schoolboys representative for rugby union. He was a defensive end. [1]  Colin appears to be the only one. [1a]

"Scotts, a schoolboys representative who won a football scholarship to the University of Hawaii before being drafted into the NFL by the St Louis Cardinals, ..." [2]  Another article that says Colin was a schoolboy representative. [2a]

Colin was the third pick for St Louis in 1987. [3] Round 3, pick 14 for Arizona Cardinals. [4] Round 3, selection 70 to St Louis. [5]

Info on Colin [6].  Another site states that "defensive lineman Colin Scotts (Phoenix Cardinals, Houston Oilers)" [7], ie, Colin was a defesive linemas, and played for the Phoenix Cardinals and Houston Oilers.

I am not up on NFL history, and cannot say which Cardinal team Colin actually played for.  Was it St Louis, Arizona or Phoenix?

Answer 2

mark harris from the roosters had a season or two there after his league carrer was over,also there were a couple of nfl players came here to play for the newtown jets,one couldn't even handle the training and went back,the other i think spent a total of 20 mins on the field and said he'd had enough and also returned to the usa,

Answer 3

Yes, recentally WIllie Mason was offered to play in the NFL, but he had no idea how to play the game

Answer 4

yea, there is one union guy punting in the NFL right now

Answer 5

Yeah, there is an Ozzie punter right now.  Seen him play before...Mat McBriar, Dallas Cowboys.  He holds the ball differently than any other punter, obviously his Ozzie roots coming into play there, and he gets some booming distance and is VERY ACCURATE at punting the ball out of bounds.  This, coming from the high priority in rugby for accurate kicking for touch.  His coaches love this about him.  His job is secure.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7024

Why more American teams don't mine the Ozzie Rules and rugby players for kickers/punters is beyond me?