Richard Tardits
Richard Tardits (born July 30, 1965), is a former American football linebacker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League, and a former rugby union footballer for the United States national rugby union team. He held the record for most sacks in a career at the University of Georgia,[1] until surpassed by David Pollack in 2004, and he was referred to as 'Le Sack' by fans because of his French birth.
| Born: | July 30, 1965 Bayonne, France |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Linebacker |
| College | Georgia |
| NFL draft | 1989 / Round: 5 / Pick: 123 (By the Phoenix Cardinals) |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1990–1992 | New England Patriots |
| Birth name | Richard Tardits | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | July 30, 1965 | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Bayonne, France | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 110 kg (243 lb) | ||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||
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Playing career
Tardits was born in Bayonne, France. He was former player on the French junior national rugby team and a participant in the Running of the Bulls at Pamplona, he was a walk-on for the Georgia Bulldogs.[2] During his NFL playing days, he sponsored a semipro football team in his French hometown of Biarritz.[3]
During his NFL career, he also helped the Mystic River Rugby Club reach the national finals. He later represented the United States in rugby.
NFL career
- 1989: 5th round Draft pick (123rd overall)
- 1990: 2 G, 1 GS
- 1991: 16 G, 1FR
- 1992: 9 G
Career Totals: 27 Games, 1 Game Start, 1 Fumble Recovery
Rugby Career (USA Eagles)
- 1999 (1 +1 Game)
Rugby World Cup Qualifiers
- 1994–1996 (3 Games, 1 Try)
Pacific Rim Championship
- 1996–1997 (3 Games)
- 1997–1998 (1 Game)
- 1998–1999 (5 Games)
Pan-American Championship
- 1996–1997 (1 Game)
Friendlies
- 02/10/1993 v Australia
- 12/03/1994 v Bermuda (1 Try)
- 21/05/1994 v Canada
- 05/11/1994 v Ireland
- 06/01/1996 v Ireland (1 Try)
- 11/01/1997 v Wales
- 12/04/1998 v Spain (Sub)
- 25/07/1998 v Fiji (Sub)
Other Club Affiliations:
References
- Wahl, Grant (September 6, 1999). "Huge Splash Across The Pond". Sports Illustrated.
- Hersch, Hank (October 24, 1988). "Vive Le Sac!". Sports Illustrated.
- King, Peter (October 24, 1988). "The NFL". Sports Illustrated.