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Captain America

Ex-college football player invades English rugby

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Posted: Thursday September 30, 1999 07:55 PM

Dan Lyle believes rugby could be a viable option for many American athletes. David Rogers/Allsport

LONDON (CNN/SI) -- Dan Lyle is as all-American as they come. The son of a retired two-star general, Lyle starred as a college football tight end at Virginia Military Institute. Despite finishing his career in 1993 as the third leading receiver in school history, Lyle went undrafted so he waited tables while waiting for the NFL to call. It was during that time, Lyle fell in love with --rugby.

"American football used to be Rugby Union," Lyle said. "You just look at it as just a combination of probably every game that we play growing up. Soccer, basketball, lacrosse. Rugby and American football they're so similar, in that they combine every physical athletic aspect into one game."

By 1994, Lyle was starring for the Eagles, the U.S. National Team. And in 1996 received a non-guaranteed $52,000 offer to play with Bath in England's professional league. At the same time, the Minnesota Vikings offered him a non-guaranteed contract for $116,000. Lyle decided to forego his childhood dream of playing in the NFL, to pursue a rugby career.

"It's a great game and you can pick it up late in life and really excel at it so, I'm really happy where I am and enjoying myself."

At 6'4, 245 pounds, Lyle combined his physical ability with a crash course in the nuances of the international game. The result was immediate success. Lyle was named the English premiereship's newcomer of the year for the 1996-1997 season prompting the British tabloids to dub him Captain America.

"I just want to continuously have people say that America is a team, is a country of great athletes, a country of great camaraderie, teammanship," Lyle said. "We have a great work rate (ethic), that we want to be the upper echelon and we're working toward that every time we step onto the field. And even if I'm representing the U.S. team, Bath or playing you down at the local pub in darts you know, I just try to keep those things in my mind every time I go out."

The next season Lyle led Bath to a victory over the French club Brive, to win the European Championship in front of 50,000 fans in Bordeaux, France.

Captain America was embraced by the rugby world.

Dan Lyle found a career in rugby when American football closed the door on him. CNN/SI

"You know to their credit, they accept you if you're a good player over here," Lyle said. "And that's anyone, whether you're American, Argentinean or you know, from Timbuktu."

Lyle, 28, has been supported from all corners including his teammates from the U.S. National Team.

"All of the boys have been really supportive of Dan and his efforts as he represents us," says Tom Billups. "And it's really one of our strengths as we compete on the international stages. It's us versus all of them and them in any way, shape or form. We play away, so we don't necessarily get a home game very often, and that's part of our sport right now."

Currently Lyle is one of only a handful of Americans playing professional rugby. And for now, he says he has better odds of making it in the English sport than in the NFL.

"One percent of one percent of athletes graduating from universities that are playing American football get a chance to play on one of the 31 (NFL) teams," he said. "In the NFL, there are so many athletes out there that are incredible."

Lyle earns almost $250,000 a year with Bath, which he concedes might come as a surprise to college football players. They don't pursue rugby because they are only aware of it in its U.S. form, which is purely a sport, not a livelihood.

"A lot of people see it at a university. They see guys at a club sport, you know scratching enough funds to go play somewhere, and turn it into something that's a more economically viable sport for people."

In fact the United States team that's preparing for this week's Rugby World Cup features several unpaid players, including a substitute teacher, a miner and a chiropractor. That trio will join forces with Captain America in an effort to increase rugby's popularity in the U.S.

"I just think there aren't very many things you can pioneer in life anymore and to be able to come over here and represent America, in whatever I'm doing, walking down the street or doing something for the club with some kids, I just want people to understand that I'm not just doing it for myself. I'm doing it for the team and going forth for American rugby."

Lyle hopes to continue to play professionally in Europe with his eye on 2004, when rugby could appear in the Olympics for the first time since 1924. As Lyle will quickly remind you, the gold medal winners that year hailed from the United States of America.

 

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According to Dan Lyle, rugby is very similar to American football. (139 K) Lyle believes there are many American athletes available to play rugby. (120 K) Lyle just wants to improve the state of American rugby. (166 K) Visit Multimedia Central for the latest audio and video
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