Giant lock Scotland-Williamson leaves rugby for shot at NFL

Giant lock Christian Scotland-Williamson has left Worcester Warriors as he looks to pursue a career in American Football in the USA.

According to the club's website Scotland-Williamson will be heading out to Florida to work with NFL coaches over the next few months, in hope of earning a place on an NFL team roster for the 2018 season.

Scotland-Williamson, 24, has played 23 times for Warriors since joining the Club in 2014, where he burst onto the scene scoring a try on his debut in the LV= Cup against Leicester Tigers at Sixways.

Unfortunate injuries kept the 6ft 9ins, 125kg lock on the sidelines for much of the next three seasons but he has since recovered to become a regular in Warriors’ Aviva Premiership squad during this campaign.

But the former Loughborough University student will now make the move to the USA as he looks to chase a lifelong ambition.

One potential pathway for Scotland-Williamson is the International Player Pathway programme, which has seen former England Sevens star Alex Gray spend the season with the Atlanta Falcons.

No goodbye is ever easy, but every chapter must come to an end eventually. I'm thankful for the lessons learnt and the support and friendship given during my time at Worcester. As I embark on this new journey I will never forget the fans, the back room staff or my brothers! It's bittersweet to say goodbye but I'm determined to embrace the challenges that lie ahead. This is the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in NFL! #PoshBoyComingToAmerica

A post shared by Christian Scotland (@1csw) on Dec 28, 2017 at 2:10am PST

Scotland-Williamson said in a statement on the club's website: “I’d like to thank everyone at Sixways for all the support over the years. I appreciate everything they have done for me – giving me the opportunity to play professional rugby, playing against some of the top players in the world, and also helping me recover from injuries in what was a tough time for me.”

Having recently achieved a distinction in MSc International Business alongside playing for Warriors, Scotland Williamson added: “Worcester is a great Club where I have made many lifelong friends and I have no doubt they will continue to move forward and compete with the top sides in the league and Europe in years to come.

“This a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me and one that I simply can’t turn down. I’m incredibly excited about testing myself and trying to get on the team roster at an NFL club.”

Warriors Director of Rugby Alan Solomons added: “While it’s disappointing to lose a player of Christian’s talent, we understand this is a lifelong dream of his to play American Football.

“We wish him all the best of luck in his next venture and thank him for his continued efforts at Sixways over the past few years.”