Plenty of rugby players started late and still made it. Most professionals are spotted in their teens, join an academy and play their first senior game at 18 or 19, but the ten players below didn't turn professional until their twenties. Some came from shot put, basketball, Gaelic games or sprinting; others drifted away from rugby as kids and came back. Several went on to win 50 or more Test caps.

Since rugby union went professional in 1995, the pathway into the game has become much more structured. Countries like New Zealand, Ireland and England run age-grade and academy systems designed to find players young. That makes the late bloomers all the more interesting.

10 rugby players who started late

1. John Hayes (Ireland)

John Hayes grew up playing Gaelic football and hurling in County Limerick and didn't take up rugby until he was 18. He made his Munster debut in 1998, in his mid-twenties, and his Ireland debut in 2000 at 26.

He went on to win 105 caps for Ireland, play two Tests for the British and Irish Lions, and spend 13 seasons at Munster, winning the Heineken Cup in 2006 (against Biarritz) and 2008 (against Toulouse). Not bad for someone who came to the game as a teenager from another sport.

2. Mike Ross (Ireland)

Mike Ross played his rugby at University College Cork and didn't make his Munster debut until 2005, aged 25. Opportunities were limited, so he moved to Harlequins for three seasons before joining Leinster in 2009.

His first Ireland cap came that same year, at 29. He went on to win 61 caps, two Six Nations titles (2014 and 2015), two Heineken Cups and two Pro12 titles with Leinster, retiring at the end of the 2016-17 season as one of Ireland's most important tighthead props of his era.

3. Tom Court (Ireland)

Tom Court is one of the best examples of a player who came to rugby from another sport. Born in Brisbane, he was a shot putter who won the Australian university title three years in a row, and he only switched to rugby in 2004, in his early twenties.

Sixteen months after taking up the game he was playing for Ireland A (he qualified through his grandfather). He won 32 Ireland caps between 2009 and 2013 and played more than 200 club games, mostly for Ulster and London Irish.

4. Mark Cueto (England)

Mark Cueto played rugby as a young boy, switched to football, and didn't play rugby again until he was 17, a gap that covers the years many players spend in development pathways. He made his Sale Sharks debut in 2001, aged 21.

He stayed at Sale for his whole career, scoring 90 Premiership tries (still among the competition's all-time leaders) and helping the club win its first Premiership title in 2006, beating Leicester in the final. He won 55 England caps and scored 20 Test tries.

5. Chris Latham (Australia)

Chris Latham made his Super Rugby debut for the NSW Waratahs in 1997 and his Wallaby debut a year later. After moving to the Queensland Reds he became one of the best full-backs in the world.

He won 78 caps and scored 40 Test tries, second only to David Campese in Wallaby history. He was named Australia's Super Rugby player of the year several times while at the Reds, played in three World Cups, and has since moved into coaching, including in Major League Rugby in the USA.

6. Luke Romano (New Zealand)

Luke Romano is a qualified builder who made his provincial debut for Canterbury in 2009, aged 23, and his Crusaders debut in 2011, aged 25. A year later he was an All Black.

He won 31 caps, was part of New Zealand's 2015 Rugby World Cup-winning squad, and won Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders. He retired in 2022.

7. Semesa Rokoduguni (England)

Semesa Rokoduguni was born in Fiji and joined the British Army, serving with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. He was spotted playing army rugby and made his Bath debut in 2012, aged 25.

Known for his pace and finishing, he went on to play for England, becoming the first serving soldier to do so for many years. He later played in France and, at 39, is still playing in England's Championship with Doncaster Knights in 2026.

8. James Coughlan (Munster)

James Coughlan made his first appearance for Munster in 2006, aged 25, after years in the amateur game. The back-rower became a Munster regular, represented Ireland at sevens and with the Ireland Wolfhounds, and finished his career at Pau in France.

His playing career lasted 11 years, and he has since become a coach in French rugby.

9. Jérôme Thion (France)

Jérôme Thion was a basketball player before he turned to rugby. He made his debut for Racing in 1998 and, after spells at Montferrand and Perpignan, became a fixture at Biarritz, where he spent ten seasons and won the French title in 2006.

The lock won 54 caps for France, played at two World Cups and was part of the sides that won the Six Nations in 2006 and 2007.

10. Carlin Isles (USA)

Carlin Isles was a sprinter, with a 100 m best of 10.15 seconds, before he picked up a rugby ball in 2012, aged 22. Within months he was playing for the USA sevens team, and he scored within minutes of his debut.

He became one of the fastest players on the World Sevens Series, played at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, and even had a spell on an NFL practice squad. He's proof that pace alone can open the door if you're willing to learn the rest quickly.

When did rugby go professional?

Rugby union went professional on 26 August 1995, when the International Rugby Board (now World Rugby) declared the game "open" at a meeting in Paris, ending more than a century of strict amateurism. (Rugby league had split from union back in 1895, partly over payments to players.)

Professionalism changed the route into the game. Clubs and unions now invest heavily in age-grade and academy systems, so most players are identified in their teens. That's why players who made it in their twenties stand out.

Is it too late to start rugby in your 20s?

Not to play, and not always to play at a high level. The examples above share a few things:

  • They brought physical tools from another sport. Shot put, sprinting, basketball, Gaelic games and the army all built strength, speed or handling before they ever played rugby properly.
  • They found a pathway that suited them. University rugby, provincial or semi-professional rugby, army rugby and sevens have all been routes in for late starters.
  • They were patient. Most played a few years below the top level before getting their chance.

For most adults who start rugby late, the goal won't be a professional contract, and that's fine. Club rugby has teams at every level, plus touch, tag and veterans' rugby for older players. The same is true of other contact sports: if you're thinking about starting a martial art later in life, JitsAI's article on training BJJ over 35 covers how to progress when you can't train like a 20-year-old.

How to become a professional rugby player if you start late

There's no guaranteed route, but the late bloomers above suggest a sensible plan:

  1. Join a club and get playing time. Experience matters more than anything. Play as many games as you can.
  2. Build your physical base. Strength, speed and fitness get you noticed. Our rugby training guide is a good place to start.
  3. Play in a competition scouts watch. University rugby, the top amateur leagues and sevens are where many late starters are spotted.
  4. Be versatile. Players who can cover more than one position are easier to pick.
  5. Ask for honest feedback. Coaches at a higher level can tell you what's missing.

Frequently asked questions

Can you become a professional rugby player if you start late?

Yes, but it's rare. Players like John Hayes and Tom Court took up rugby at 18 and in their early twenties and still played Test rugby. Most of them brought strength, speed or skills from another sport and got their chance through university, provincial, army or sevens rugby.

When did rugby union become professional?

On 26 August 1995, when the International Rugby Board declared the game open at a meeting in Paris.

Is 30 too old to start playing rugby?

No. Most clubs welcome adult beginners, and there are lower teams, touch, tag and veterans' rugby for older players. Build up your fitness first and learn to tackle safely with a coach.

Sources