Let’s take a moment to honour the international rugby stars who paved their way through different paths before achieving fame in the sport we cherish.
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In today’s highly competitive landscape, where success often demands undivided commitment, discovering players who transitioned from regular day jobs to professional sports in a matter of months is a rarity.
Here, we celebrate five such remarkable individuals:
#1. Finn Russell (Scotland) – Former Stonemason
Hailing from a lineage of athletes—his grandparents excelled in international badminton, and his uncle and great-grandfather proudly represented Scotland in cricket—Russell’s journey to rugby stardom is as unconventional as it is inspiring.
Following his secondary education, the Scottish prodigy embarked on a three-year apprenticeship as a stonemason, under the mentorship of a family acquaintance, all the while honing his rugby skills. Earning £300 weekly, supplemented by an additional £50 from Falkirk Rugby Club, Russell emerged as one of the globe’s foremost fly-halves, renowned for his electrifying style of play.
During those early days, his parents shouldered the burden of his car payments, but today, he cruises in luxury with an Aston Martin—a testament to his phenomenal rise in the rugby world.
“On rainy days it could be pretty miserable. . . . It could be tough but I enjoyed it,” said Russell.
“I’d be making windowsills, door frames, fire places – even building walls. But compared to playing rugby, it’s night and day.
“If I ever have a bad day at training, I think back to what it was like working in that cold shed.
“I would like to return to some sort of trade though when I retire.”
In 2015, Russell added to The Herald: “I’ve still got a year of my apprenticeship left – it’s quite annoying, actually.
“After the World Cup I hope to get back into that and try and get it finished. It would be good to get the ticket so I’ve got that done.
“I’ve done all the college work so I just need to serve my time.”