Giant lock Christian Scotland-Williamson has left the Club this week as he looks to pursue a career in American Football in the USA.
Scotland-Williamson will be heading out to Florida to work with NFL coaches over the next few months, in hope of earning a place on an NFL team roster for the 2018 season.
Scotland-Williamson, 24, has played 23 times for Warriors since joining the Club in 2014, where he burst onto the scene scoring a try on his debut in the LV= Cup against Leicester Tigers at Sixways.
Unfortunate injuries kept the 6ft 9ins lock on the sidelines for much of the next three seasons but he has since recovered to become a regular in Warriors’ Aviva Premiership squad during this campaign.
But the former Loughborough University student will now make the move to the USA as he looks to chase a lifelong ambition.
One potential pathway for Scotland-Williamson is the International Player Pathway programme, which has seen former England Sevens star Alex Gray spend the season with the Atlanta Falcons.
Scotland-Williamson said: “I’d like to thank everyone at Sixways for all the support over the years. 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.”
Having recently achieved a distinction in MSc International Business alongside playing for Warriors, Scotland Williamson added: “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 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.”
Warriors Director of Rugby Alan Solomons added: “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.
“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.”