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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Mike Hytner

Wallabies star Jordan Petaia walks away from rugby union to chase NFL dream

Queensland and Australian rugby union star Jordan Petaia throws an NFL ball at Ballymore Stadium in Brisbane.
Queensland and Australian rugby union star Jordan Petaia throws an NFL ball at Ballymore Stadium in Brisbane. Photograph: Jono Searle/AAP

Former Wallabies player Jordan Petaia will pursue his long-held dream of playing in the NFL after being handed a prized spot on the league’s international player pathway (IPP) programme.

The 24-year-old was announced as the first athlete of the programme’s 2025 class on Tuesday. Petaia will head out to the US in January for an exclusive 10-week training camp in Florida before he gets a shot to impress club scouts and win a place on an NFL roster.

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