Australian rugby league standout Valentine Holmes and English rugby union winger Christian Wade are among seven athletes competing for a spot in the 2019 NFL International Player Pathway program.

The news Christian Wade’s quitting Wasps for the NFL is breaking tonight. I’m told he’s become increasingly disenchanted with rugby after failing to win more England caps. Breathtaking story.

— Nick Mullins (@andNickMullins) October 18, 2018

Late Wednesday, the league announced contenders for the chance to have international players improve their skills and make the most of a chance to compete in the NFL, with talent sought from Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Australia and the United Kingdom.

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Wade and Holmes, along with the five other athletes, will start training in the United States in January and showcase skills before NFL scouts in March with hopes of a free agent signing or practice squad spot for 2019.

Holmes, 23, sparked host Australia to last year's Rugby League World Cup title and helped the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks win the 2016 National Rugby League Premiership.

Valentine Holmes will compete to be a part of the NFL International Player Pathway program, which looks like this:
- Months of training at IMG Academy
- Pre-Draft showcase
- Draft eligibility
- If undrafted, possible placement on 1 of 4 NFL practice squadshttps://t.co/LAZWZVVeD7

— Laurie Horesh (@LaurieHoresh) December 20, 2018

Seen as a rusher or receiver, Holmes set test and World Cup records with five tries in a quarterfinal win over Samoa last year, then broke his mark with six tries in a semifinal win over Fiji a week later.

Wade, the oldest of the hopefuls at 27, scored 82 English Premiership tries, third on the league's all-time list, from 2011 to 2018 with Wasps and seeks a running back spot.

Christian Wade is off to the NFL.

Good on him.

Not really a gamble either.

If it doesn't work out, a rugby club will snap him up.

Go for it ???

— Paul Williams (@thepaulwilliams) October 19, 2018

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