There is a strong relationship between two of the UK's biggest sports with a number of rugby players spending their youth playing both football and rugby.
The combination of playing both disciplines has a positive effect on athletes, developing and enhancing attributes that contribute to a better all-round game.
This is shown by the number of players who have gone from playing football to rugby, and sometimes vice versa in the case of Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Some of those players were even high-profile competitors who had the chance to go professional in football before choosing to play the oval ball full-time.
Before we get stuck in, with a big round of Champions Cup games coming up, punters should visit nostrabet.com/en/ to read the latest bookie reviews and get bet bonuses.
Danny Cipriani – Queens Park Rangers
Danny Cipriani played for Queens Park Rangers juniors and nearly joined Readings' youth academy before deciding on rugby as his sport of choice. Cipriani was a major up and coming player in the rugby world competing for Wasps, Sale Sharks, and Melbourne Rebels. The Wasps academy graduate made his rugby debut at 17. In recent years, Cipriani has tested the football waters with Colorado Rapids and MK Dons interested in him.
Alex Lozowski – Arsenal/Chelsea
Alex Lozowski played in both Arsenal's and Chelsea's academies before making the decision to pursue rugby. The Saracens player started his rugby career with Leeds in 2012 appearing in 26 matches. After a stop off at Wasps, Lozowski joined Saracens and has been at the club since 2016. According to Lozowski, his time in Chelsea's academy improved his rugby playing allowing him to succeed as a professional.
Melissa Ruscoe – New Zealand National Team
Melissa Ruscoe isn't just an accomplished women's international rugby player, but a standout footballer as well. Ruscoe captained both the New Zealand women's rugby national team and the women's national football side. Ruscoe succeeded at the international and club level in football prior to moving into rugby. She was selected to the Black Ferns in 2004 and was a part of the New Zealand women's rugby Women's World Cup win in 2006.
Wesley Fofana – CFF Paris
Wesley Fofana capped off a great international rugby career for France at the World Cup 2019. The wing played 48 times during his career for the French national team. He has spent his entire club career with Clermont, the team he debuted with in 2008. Before Fofana debuted with Claremont, however, he trained with CFF Paris' youth team. It wasn't until Fofana was a teenager that he decided to leave his dreams of being a top-class footballer behind and went head first into playing rugby.
Kenny Logan – Dundee United/Hearts
Former Scotland national team player Kenny Logan appeared 70 times for the Scottish in international fixtures. He also played for Glasgow Warriors, London Wasps, and London Scottish during his 10-year career. Before going professional in rugby, Logan had football trials with the likes of Dundee United and Hearts. Logan was goalkeeper by trade but wasn't signed by either club as a schoolboy. Football's loss was rugby's gain as Logan made his amateur debut for Stirling County at the age of 17. In recent years, it came out that Logan suffered from dyslexia and wasn't able to read. He now works for campaigns raising awareness around dyslexia.
