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Canadian rugby union star on verge of NRL deal
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Canadian rugby union representative Marcus D’Acre is prepared to play Jersey Flegg in a bid to become the first Vegas Combine winner to earn an NRL contract.
D’Acre and US Olympian Adam Channel are due to travel to Australia along with female Combine winners, Renee Gonzalez – also from Canada - and Columbian sevens star Maria Arzuaga for a tour of NRL and NRLW clubs.
However, D’Acre has already attracted interest from NRL clubs, including the Knights and Cowboys, while he and Channel trained with the Sharks in Las Vegas.
At just 20 years of age, the Hong Kong-born D’Acre is still eligible to play Jersey Flegg and said he was keen to work his way through the grades while learning the game.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity, and to be play Jersey Flegg would be awesome,” D’Acre told NRL.com. “I am still developing and I’m still learning the game of rugby league.
“I have played union all of my life and just from the small interactions we had with the Sharks there is still plenty to learn before taking on the big league, so I am just looking forward to absorbing as much information as possible and continuing to develop.”
D’Acre revealed that the Cowboys had made an approach before the Combine, but the Knights also showed interest after GM of football Peter Parr watched him and other NRL hopefuls undergo a series of skills and physical testing.
He completed the 1.2km bronco run in 4.58min, sprinted 20m in 2.98sec, bench pressed 130kg (3RM), lifted 180kg in the back squat (3RM), leapt 2.78m in the broad jump and threw a medicine ball 14.3m.
“I have been reached out pre-combine by the Cowboys. I represented Hong Kong under 20s at the back end of the summer and I guess they were watching a few of the games,” he said.
“I was grateful to be reached out to there. I am just looking to grow from this and see what doors this can open up for me.”
At 196cm tall, D’Acre is a similar height to Campbell Graham, Daniel Tupou and Xavier Coates and he expects to start on the wing.
“I am only 20, I am hoping to start off on the wing, a little bit of centres, and from there see where the coaches put me,” he said.
“I play pretty much everywhere in the backline in 15s, I am just pretty adaptable, I just need to learn the game first.”
With his father, Nigel, born in Melbourne, D’Acre is eligible for an Australian passport, which also makes it easier for an NRL club to sign him.
Nigel played league for the USA Tomahawks against Russia, and he and Marcus follow the Storm. However, D’Acre said his mother was not as keen about the NRL.
“Mum just wants me to be safe,” he said. “Obviously she has been watching a lot of league, as the commotion started to get around.
“Dad is all for it, he loves that side of it and just wants me to put my best foot forward on this journey.”
