Christian Scotland-Williamson quits Worcester Warriors to launch American football career and chase his NFL dream

Worcester, who have signed Anton Bresler from Edinburgh as a replacement, agreed to release the 24-year-old lock from his contract as he plans to force his way into the NFL

Christian Scotland-Williamson has made a shock switch to American football (Getty)

Worcester Warriors lock Christian Scotland-Williamson has turned his back on rugby union to try build a career in American football after the Premiership club agreed to release him from his contract, launching the first step towards playing in next year’s National Football League.

The Independent revealed in March this year that NFL scouts had travelled to Europe to watch rugby’s leading stars across both union and league, and Worcester second-row Scotland-Williamson is the latest recruit to have been lured across the Atlantic largely due to the riches on offer.

“I’d like to thank everyone at Sixways for all the support over the years,” Scotland-Williamson said in a statement on Thursday that was released by Worcester, who have signed Namibia lock Anton Bresler from Edinburgh as his replacement.

“I appreciate everything they have done for me – giving me the opportunity to play professional rugby, playing against some of the top players in the world, and also helping me recover from injuries in what was a tough time for me.

“Worcester is a great club where I have made many lifelong friends and I have no doubt they will continue to move forward and compete with the top sides in the league and Europe in years to come.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me and one that I simply can’t turn down. I’m incredibly excited about testing myself and trying to get on the team roster at an NFL club.”

Scotland-Williamson's tackling ability has helped gain him notice in the NFL (Getty)

Scotland-Williamson, who has made just 23 appearances since joining Worcester in 2014 due to a string of disruptive injuries, hit the headlines at the start of this season when a thumping tackle on Wasps back-row Alex Rieder went viral on social media. That tackle quickly started a chain of events – or rather conversations – that led to Scotland-Williamson’s name being batted about the NFL scene and ultimately leading to an intense coaching programme in Florida which he join over the next few months once he flies out to the United States in January.

He will follow former England Sevens star Alex Gray, who is currently signed to the Atlanta Falcons practice squad after progressing through the NFL International Player Pathway that looks to unearth untapped talent outside of the US, and will also play the same position as the former Newcastle, London Irish and Yorkshire Carnegie player in the form of a tight end – meaning he is responsible for running and catching as well as blocking, rather than the defensive side of the game for which he has become such a feared name.

The move has also come with Worcester’s blessing, with Scotland-Williamson sounding out former Worcester Warriors director of rugby Gary Gold as well as his replacement, Alan Solomons, after the November victory over Leicester Tigers to receive their clearance to pursue his NFL dream that he hopes will be benefitted by his education, having achieved a masters in international business at the University of Birmingham and a degree in geography and economics at Loughborough University.

“While it’s disappointing to lose a player of Christian’s talent, we understand this is a lifelong dream of his to play American football,” said Solomons.

“We wish him all the best of luck in his next venture and thank him for his continued efforts at Sixways over the past few years.”