Sammut has been training to be a professional bodyguard. He has said there is a lot of similarities between being a rugby player and a bodyguard, you have to have discipline and integrity and be able to work with a team. You are all focused on the same goal and that's the same in the close protection industry.

Thought he was going to say "likes a good punch up".
Depends on what he means by close protection though. As far as I know he doesn't have a military or police background so will be at a disadvantage there from what little I know & he's not very big. But good luck to him.

Remember it's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog that counts!

Old news, he did the course with Andrew Henderson.

There's quote a few ex RL players already qualified. It's becoming quite a well trodden path.

That would be fine if he wants to be a club bouncer but not what's required for Close Protection.

It was in yesterdays newspaper.

Excuse me joining in this conversation, I am one of the alienated fans who no longer has much to do with the Broncos. I was, however, an armed close protection officer in the MPS for a number of years, specialising in protecting what were known as “Supergrasses” who were under a credible threat of attempts being made on their life.
To do this you have to be very fit, an excellent shot with a number of different classes of firearm, but most importantly, able to assess on going situations and react appropriately with the correct level of force. Not many people can reach this standard. You shouldn’t be carrying a firearm in this country unless you’re a serving member of the police or armed services.
If you want to do armed protection out of the country, you’ll generally only be considered if you’re ex military/police AND have the right experience.
After I retired I worked for a while in the Middle East, where I had two close armed protection officers of my own, two Bedu tribe women who were very professional and in whom I had 100% confidence.
The term “Bodyguard” on the other hand, is wide ranging and covers everything from the big muscly geezer outside a nightclub to the very professional ladies and gentlemen who you might see around Chelsea and Kensington looking after high net worth people. Former Police and service personnel are in rather more demand for this level of work than rugby players, but they don’t carry firearms. I hope this sheds some light on the matter. Just remember, it’s not like on the TV!

Matty Blythe, ex Warrington and who spent time on loan at Oxford, is one of those who qualified. He retired from the sport to take up close protection abroad. (No idea what the exact qualification these folks do but he was following in a fair few RL players footsteps.) I'm not in touch with him but last I heard he was heading to the Middle East from memory. Some somewhere wants them.

I suspect they may be more muscle for show than the sort of professional close protection the police specialise in however; that's a guess not a fact.

It was on Twitter a couple of weeks ago,

Well, welcome back however brief.
Thanks that was very much my understanding of how things were. I'm not sure where a smallish maverick rugby player would fit in without experience, maybe Big Dave will hire him for protection from us!!

You’re absolutely right. Of course close protection in countries like Iraq or Libya is not quite as regulated as in other, less “exotic” markets.

My missus, who watched Oxford, has just sent me the article. Both men were trained by Matty Blythe https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-le ... o-25692545

My missus, who watched Oxford, has just sent me the article. Both men were trained by Matty Blythe https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-le ... o-25692545

Ginger Spice & her bodyguard so JS may have a way to go! https://images.app.goo.gl/WRzMe3sMZEsxweM58

Ginger Spice & her bodyguard so JS may have a way to go! https://images.app.goo.gl/WRzMe3sMZEsxweM58