Australia center Jordan Petaia yesterday confirmed that he is to step away from rugby union and bid to win a contract with an NFL team to pursue a childhood dream he shared with his father.
Petaia said he will join the NFL’s international pathway program (IPP) for next year and look to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Jordan Mailata, who made a successful switch from rugby league to join the Philadelphia Eagles.
“The decision to step away from rugby hasn’t been easy and one that took a great deal of consideration,” Petaia said on social media. “Thank you to the NFL IPP for giving me this once in a life time opportunity, I am very grateful and excited for the experience that lies ahead.”
Photo: Reuters
Petaia, who became Australia’s youngest player at a Rugby World Cup when he made his debut as a 19-year-old against Uruguay in 2019, has been capped 31 times for the Wallabies and played seven seasons for the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby.
He played much of his career as an outside back, but was preferred as a center by former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones.
However, the 24-year-old’s career has been blighted by injuries, including a shoulder problem that sidelined him for half the Super Rugby season this year and ruled him out of the Wallabies’ international season under new coach Joe Schmidt.
Petaia said he and his brother grew up watching the NFL with their father, who died in 2020 after a heart attack.
“I’m taking this opportunity on a dream I’ve had, not only for myself, but a dream I shared with my old man,” Petaia told the Sydney Morning Herald. “He’d be looking down and shouting at me to take the opportunity. I think I probably would have regretted it if I didn’t.”
Queensland supported Petaia’s decision, with coach Les Kiss calling him a “great Reds player.”
Petaia is to attend the live-in IMG Academy in Florida next month to fast-track his education in football.
Manchester City have reached do-or-die territory in the UEFA Champions League earlier than expected ahead of what Pep Guardiola has described as a “final” against Club Brugge today. City have disproved the suggestion a new format to Europe’s top club competition would remove any jeopardy for the top clubs as Guardiola stares down the barrel of failing to make the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in his career. The English champions have endured a torrid season both in their English Premier League title defense and on the continent. A run of one win in 13 games, which included Champions League
Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday poured in 35 points as the Thunder grabbed a bounce-back 118-108 victory in Portland to push their NBA-best record to 37-8. The Thunder, surprised by the short-handed Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, fended off a late surge from the Trail Blazers to snap their four-game winning streak. Jalen Williams scored 24 points and Isaiah Joe added 16 off the bench. Center Isaiah Hartenstein, back after a five-game absence with a calf injury, added 14 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a big block. The Western Conference leaders were under pressure late as Portland, trailing by 15 heading
Sumo is walking a “tightrope” as it prepares to stage events outside Japan for the first time in 20 years while also trying to preserve its ancient traditions, experts say. The sport is to hold exhibition tournaments in London in October and in Paris in June next year, the first time the Japan Sumo Association has been abroad since Las Vegas in 2005. Sports such as soccer, baseball and football play domestic games overseas in a bid to gain new fans in emerging markets. John Gunning, a former amateur sumo wrestler who commentates on the sport in English on Japanese television, says its
Cole Perfetti on Friday scored three goals for his first NHL hat-trick as the Winnipeg Jets beat the Utah Hockey Club 5-2. Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists to reach 500 points for his career, while David Gustafsson also scored for Winnipeg. Connor Hellebuyck had 17 saves. Barrett Hayton and Nick Schmaltz scored for Utah, while Connor Ingram stopped 25 shots. Perfetti gave Winnipeg a 3-2 lead when he lifted the puck over a fallen Ingram on a pass from Vladislav Namestnikov 5 minutes, 51 seconds into the third period. Ehlers stole the puck at his own blue line and raced down
RSS