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South AfricaUSATom Brady

NFL quarterback Tom Brady ditches Springbok support in favour of USA ahead of opening RWC game

Nate Ebner introduces Tom Brady. (Credit/Nate Ebner Twitter)

New England Patriots quarterback and six-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady surprised many last week with a Twitter message of support for the Springboks ahead of their Rugby World Cup campaign game against the All Blacks.

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Ahead of the USA’s opening game against England, the G.O.A.T has swung around with pressure from Patriots teammate and former US Sevens player Nate Ebner, who arranged for a special message for the USA eagles direct from the Patriots locker room.

“I actually got my guy here, he wanted to say something,” Ebner says before introducing Brady.

“What’s up guys, we are cheering you on,” said Brady wearing a ‘Back the Boys’ USA Rugby t-shirt.

“It’s a tough journey but if anyone can do it, you guys can.”

“We support you, we love you, we got your back.”

Patriots special teamer Ebner made a transfer to Sevens ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and competed at the event in Brazil becoming the first active NFL player to participate in the Olympics.

Since being drafted by the Patriots in 2012, Ebner has won 3-Super bowl titles as part of their special teams unit. The collegiate rugby player considered playing professionally but reportedly did not have any contract offers. He was an MVP of the US age-grade under-19 and under-20 sides in 2007 and 2008 that competed at World Rugby’s junior championships.

Rugby World Cup memories Gavin Hastings:

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Comments on RugbyPass

I
IkeaBoy 7 minutes ago
Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us

I could well imagine.

206 Go to comments
P
PoppaRick 37 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Wow HH blah blah you contradict yourself just to keep talking is your name Karen Head or perhaps Richard Head.

93 Go to comments
U
UP 40 minutes ago
Nobody runs the show like Beauden - Why the All Blacks need Barrett now, and at Rugby World Cup 2027

Gregg-a! Great piece! I have followed you for as long as you have been writing. You are no doubt in my mind the best of the NZ sports rugby writers! I appreciate all the comments, I have read them all and have great respect for them. That’s the great thing about different perspectives, you don’t have to agree with them but you can respect them. I moved away from NZ over 23 years ago. Though I live in a different country, I will always and forever be a Kiwi and a staunch die hard supporter of the All Blacks. I wake up early to watch every game without fail.


This is the first time I am making a comment on this platform. I just want to express my appreciation for Beauden! I have been a Beauden fan from the beginning of his career. Whether he makes it to the end of his contract in 2027, all the many scenarios that have been painted in this article and all the many comments relating to Richie, D-Mac and Love, whatever happens, happens, but, I am taking the opportunity to appreciate this great talent, great athlete, great rugby player and great man. I am bias, I hope he makes it to the 2027 world cup but who knows. What I do know is Beauden Barrett has been an outstanding All Black, he has represented the jersey with the mana, respect and reverence that comes with the black jersey. He is humble and doesn’t seek glory for himself but for the team, so for however long he plays, I will be watching, appreciating him as one of the greats of All Blacks rugby and I’ll be watching every other game the All Blacks play with Beauden in the team or no longer. I Love the ALL BLACKS NO MATTER WHAT!!

84 Go to comments
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PoppaRick 41 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Wow HH blah blah you contradict yourself just to keep talking is your name Karen Head or perhaps Richard Head.

93 Go to comments
P
PoppaRick 46 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Come on Bra do your homework Fakatava has worn the Black jumper.

93 Go to comments
P
PoppaRick 50 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Im think 4-4-4 is a little ambitious too many players not enough tests.

When would the likes of Shalfoon be given test time and that’s the depth we need to go if we to math SA depth. We should get the WC final with 3 on each position.

93 Go to comments
Y
YeowNotEven 59 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

You obviously don’t expect that and don’t think the all blacks will win.

Just say what you think, you aren’t some tv pundit trying not to put too much pressure on your team ffs.

It’s a comments section.

93 Go to comments
M
Mark 1 hour ago
The truth about great Wallaby hope Will Skelton

The simple truth is that Northern hemisphere rugby, wk in wk out is tougher and more attritional than southern hemisphere rugby.

SKelton is 5x the player he was having gone to Sarries and France.

4 Go to comments
Y
YeowNotEven 1 hour ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

They want a player that actually does proper work, not just someone who looks like they do.

Ethan makes a million tackles that all are assists or passive, attends a million rucks to push someone or lean on some one or fall over, and his PCM are negligible at best so he isn’t much of a ball carrier.

Handling skills are good. But that’s. About. It.

Good for SR, not international materiel though. He had his chances, didn’t have the goods.

93 Go to comments
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PoppaRick 1 hour ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Wales would be ruff, the English and Ozzie’s are pretty tough on coaches as for SA not in a million years. Of the top tier countries AB’s the best to coach now that Mark Robertson is gone.

93 Go to comments
F
Francisco Roldan 1 hour ago
'The Wallabies need to convert much better - or Melbourne could be much worse'

Hi Brett, how are you? In Argentina, we're already getting a glimpse of the match. AUS's individual work rate was interesting, both on and off the ball. AUS's backs produced interesting attacking metrics, and their starting XV forwards averaged 13 successful tackles each. But the sense of effectiveness you mention should strengthen exponentially. In the first test, the effectiveness in tries was 43% vs. 33% for B&IL. I'm sure we'll see a better performance from AUS and a better game overall.

18 Go to comments
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PoppaRick 1 hour ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

I’m pretty sure while coaching the Crusaders he went to SA Oz and Argentina that would the definition of coaching internationally and he did quite well.

93 Go to comments
B
BA 1 hour ago
Jarrah McLeod signs Super contract just days after hunting Lions

Stink kick at the end other day but thought he looked good and looked big and he is I see , handled Duhan couple times and showed some nice speed to run him down

1 Go to comments
B
BA 1 hour ago
Ruby Tui misses out as Black Ferns name squad for Rugby World Cup

Great squad good mix of young an old was a great lil event for the announcement Honey Bill was good the wairua felt very good thru the screen , Engine room going to have a huge task up North but weather will be good and fast tracks should suit us , go Black ferns

2 Go to comments
P
PoppaRick 1 hour ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

I’m not sure Kirifi will be able to compete with the English a full strength France and I feel he’s to small for the Boks.

I am yet to be convinced that Blackadder @ 6, Savea @ 7 and Sititi @ 8. Isn’t our most balanced 3. EB was the form 6 through the Super Finals out playing Finau and Jacobson.

93 Go to comments
B
BA 1 hour ago
Leicester Fainga'anuku denied All Blacks eligibility for TRC

Well hopefully at least then we get to see him in NPC play lots of 13 and some 12

17 Go to comments
R
RD 1 hour ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Players picked for a reason n now the hard work is in front of them to keep their job as it is easy to be dropped from the AllBlacks as seen in the past

93 Go to comments
B
BA 1 hour ago
Lion taming lock Franco Molina swaps Gallagher PREM for Super Rugby

Nice work Force

1 Go to comments
H
Hammer Head 1 hour ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Have a listen to Nick Mallet’s take on Moerat.

93 Go to comments
H
Hellhound 2 hours ago
Steve Hansen: The Boks are 'rolling the dice and so far they’ve got away with it'

The best choice for Razor would be to use his best against the Boks and use half experienced and half inexperienced to play against the rest to give them test caps. At the most, the AB's have 17 Tests left to the next WC. He needs to find depth, cohesion and the right combinations before then. Sounds easy, but it's not. Rassie means business and wants to get a double over the AB's. That is an immense task, but it shows the intent of the Boks. The question is if the AB's can match that intensity. As usual the AB's know what they will get so it will be great games.

37 Go to comments
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