Rugby’s Jamie Vardy: Five players who rose through the ranks to play at the highest level
Rugby's Jamie Vardy: Five players who rose through the ranks to play at the highest level
With Netflix’s Jamie Vardy documentary piquing interest among the masses, we decided to come up with a list of rugby players who have also risen from the depths of club rugby to make it in the professional game.
Here are five players who rose through the ranks to play at the highest level:
AJ MacGinty
Would arguably have fought for the Ireland number 10 shirt alongside Johnny Sexton if he had gone down the traditional Leinster academy route.
Instead, after playing for Blackrock College in County Dublin, he moved to New York, USA, where he played for New York Athletic Club RFC. After a brief stint in the Big Apple, he worked his way through the college rugby system with Life Running Eagles in Georgia.
It was while playing at university that he was picked for international duty on residential grounds, making three starts at the 2015 World Cup.
It was after this that then-head coach Pat Lam would sign him for professional side Connacht, before making a long-term move to Sale Sharks. Lam would later re-sign MacGinty for Bristol Bears, where he has once again firmly established himself as the number one pick.
Since his debut, MacGinty has established himself as one of the most successful players to have ever played for the USA.
Dylan Maart
The 29-year-old wing made an extremely late surge into professional rugby, still playing local club level in his mid-20s.
After making it at provincial level with Boland and Griquas, he impressed enough to secure a loan to the Stormers in 2025, playing a handful of times.
For the time being, he’s back at Griquas after his Stormers stint ended, but he has recently signed a deal to join the Bulls from next season, which will mark just three years since turning professional and winning the Currie Cup First Division.
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Levani Botia
Although he’s now made over 200 appearances for La Rochelle, in his mid-20s he was still playing provincial rugby for Namosi in Fiji. During that time, he was a regular member of the Fiji national 7s and 15s teams but had yet to play in a top-level elite division.
It was only after being called into the Top 14 as a medical joker that he eventually became a fully-fledged professional. Since then, he’s appeared at three World Cups, won two European trophies and a domestic title.
Theo McFarland
He only started taking rugby seriously in 2019 when he was approached by ex-international Brian Lima while playing in Samoa. Prior to that, he had represented Moamoa Roosters Rugby Club, Moorabbin Rugby Club and the Savai’i Vikings, while also playing for the Samoa men’s national basketball team.
After switching his focus to rugby, McFarland trained with the Samoa 7s side before signing for Manuma Samoa. Despite limited action for the club due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the two-metre tall back row was signed by former English champions Saracens and subsequently went on to achieve international honours.
Semesa Rokoduguni
A Lance Corporal in the British Army, Rokoduguni made his professional debut at the age of 25 after impressing for many years in the lower levels. At one stage, he was playing for the eighth-tier side, Lytchett Minster RFC, as well as German side DRC Hannover.
After impressing at Twickenham for the Army Rugby Union first XV, he spent three weeks on trial at both Newcastle and Bath – before the South-West club decided to sign him permanently.
After an incredible tenure at Bath, Roko spent time in France with US Montauban, before moving to CHAMP side, Doncaster Knights.