Xavier Rush is a name shared by at least two notable public figures: a former New Zealand rugby union footballer and a former American football wide receiver.
Xavier Joseph Rush (rugby union player)
Xavier Joseph Rush (born 13 July 1977 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer. He played as a number eight and second row, and is a former All Black. He played professional rugby in Wales for the Cardiff Blues, where he served as captain.
Rush played domestic rugby with Auckland in the National Provincial Championship and with the Blues in the Super 12 competition between 1997 and 2005. He won the NPC competition with Auckland in 2002 and the Super 12 with the Blues in 2003. He captained both sides and helped Auckland lift the Ranfurly Shield in 2003.
At international level, Rush earned eight All Black test caps between 1998 and 2004. He made his test debut against the Wallabies in 1998 at age 21, and later played for the All Blacks during the 2004 Tri-Nations, against England, and against the Pacific Islanders.
In 2005, Rush moved to Wales to play for the Cardiff Blues, where he remained until his retirement from playing at the end of the 2011–12 season. He subsequently took up a coaching role with the club. In 2010, he briefly signed a two-year contract with Ulster Rugby before ultimately remaining with Cardiff.
Xavier Rush (American football player)
A separate individual named Xavier Rush is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Tulane University, where he was a four-year letterman in football and a two-year letterman in track and field. He later played in the NFL, including a stint with the New Orleans Saints. After his playing career, he became an entrepreneur, founding XRELITE, and has authored children's books. He has also worked as an athletic coordinator in New Orleans.
Given that the name refers to multiple distinct individuals across different fields, context is required to determine which Xavier Rush is being referenced.
