CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders have signed a pair of global players – kicker Gerard Laws and running back Nico Leonard.

Laws (five-foot-11, 202 pounds) is a product of the Prokick Australia program. In 2015, the Sydney, Australia native played for the California Sharks in the AAA Professional Football League and from 2016 to 2019, he played for the Sydney Uni Lions, a club team in his native Australia. The 31-year-old is an alumnus of the University of Wollongong and in addition to playing football he has worked in media including a position as digital and social media manager for a professional cricket team in Sydney.

Leonard (five-foot-11, 210 pounds) played professional rugby for five seasons in South Africa after a distinguished amateur career that saw him establish his high school’s record for career tries.

The 23-year-old from Victoria, South Africa, had his interest in football and his knowledge of the sport sparked as a youth when he played the Madden video game.

COURTESY CFL COMMUNICATIONS STAFF