Lion has gridiron offer

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32736, 13 October 1971, Page 28

Lion has gridiron offer

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent) LONDON. American football scouts are interested in signing the British Lions’ star five-eighths, B. John, to play professional gridiron as a goalkicker, the “Western Mail” reported. The Cardiff newspaper said that John would travel to London soon to talk to the Americans.

It quoted the player as saying: “I am just going to have a general chat about American Rugby and to see what it

is all about. No harm can come from that.” An area manager for a Welsh finance company, John was promoted at the end of the Lions’ tour of New Zealand, and said at the time that his future was in finance, not in Rugby league. The Americans, however, may offer rather more money than the Rugby league clubs, whose top price would appear to be £28,000. In American football, kickers are normally brought on to the field solely to take kicks, and they watch the rest of the game from the sideline.

American scouts have made several visits to Britain in the last 10 years looking for kickers and this year

actually signed an international, T. Price, the former Welsh full-back who has toured New Zealand with British teams in both Rugby union and Rugby league. Another Welsh goal-kicker, K. Jarrett, had a trial with American football earlier this year before deciding to return to Rugby league, while yet another Welsh kicker, D. Watkins, turned down American offers and next week-end faces the Kiwis in the second Rugby .league test

If he does not turn to professional football, John is likely to resume training next month and to play his first competitive game for. the Cardiff club early in December.