After secondary school, the Scotland star pursued an apprenticeship for three years as a stonemason, in a business owned by a family friend, whilst his rugby developed. Pocketing £300 per week, supplemented by £50 in his hand from Falkirk Rugby Club, Russell is now one of the pre-eminent stand-offs in world rugby and certainly one of the most exciting.
2. Nigel Owens (Wales) - Farmer
The popular Welshman had an interest in farming since he was a young kid and it has always played a huge part in his life away from the rugby field. Over the years, Owens has been able to save up to buy his own farm with his partner Barrie and so far they've built up 26 pedigree Hereford cattle.
Before securing a professional contract, the future England superstar served an apprenticeship under his Granddad as a painter and decorator. The 24-year-old, who likes keeping busy, hasn’t ruled out a return to the trade when his rugby days are done.
5.Liam Williams (Wales) - Scaffolder
This is the picture that illustrates the heights Williams has scaled to reach international rugby, starting off as a scaffolder. It wasn’t work for the faint-hearted, with Williams rigging scaffolding “over the top of a blast furnace, 300 feet from the ground” back in Wales.
We often hear how the hardest thing to defend is a runner's movement while the ball is in the air. Watch how far Kurtley Beale travels while the ball is in the air for this break. That's down to the weight of Finn Russell's pass. So nice.