The REAL Reason Louis Rees-Zammit Left Rugby…

John Talks Rugby
John Talks Rugby
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Published 2024-02-16
On the 16th January 2024, the rugby world was shocked to learn that one of its brightest young talents had made the decision to leave rugby union with immediate effect, joining the NFL through its International Player Pathway program. The rugby world was left speechless and a host of media and news coverage followed. It just didn’t make sense, a 23 year old winger who’d played rugby all his life, Louis Rees-Zammit was an established international player for Wales.

So this begs the question, why did Louis Rees Zammit leave rugby? Is he the first? Have there been others? And what impact could this have on the Rugby world as we know it…

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With that all said and done, it’s been your boy Rugby Central 1 and I’ll see you next time.

#rugby #nfl #louisreeszammit
All Comments (19)
  • @banuna1
    Jordan Mailata a former rugby player from Australia has a 3 yr 64 million dollar contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was in that IPP program.
  • @HowlinWilf13
    As a Gloucester and Lions fan, I'm very sorry to see LRZ leave rugby and go to the NFL. I wish him success but would also welcome his return.
  • @iluvmusicqwe
    Wales are in a rebuilding phase. They're going to really struggle for a while. He's young and had more accomplishment's in rugby than most players do in their careers. Now is the perfect time for him to take a chance.
  • @ardiethegoat
    Er hätte ein Großer im Rugby werden können. Jetzt ist er Einer unter Vielen. Trotzdem viel Glück.
  • @MrJane-lf3fx
    As a chiefs fans I’d assume most rugby fans don’t understand how good of a opportunity Louis has. Andy Ried (Head Coach) and our offense has a tremendous ability to develop talent and use them at what their best at. I know for a fact he will make the practice squad bare minimum. What’s nice is we have serious gaps at Wr/Rb which happens to be were he’s slotted at. Can’t wait to see this guy put his country on the map in the NFL.🙏
  • @R.J._Lewis
    My theory for why these highly talented rugby players don't often make an impact is that football has more individual complications than rugby does. Each position has ins and outs that are hard to acquire any way other than learning it from experience, and what these rugby players are doing is matching up against the guys who are the very best at the game and countering that knowledge. Rugby is a complex game, but most of the skills are transferrable from position to position and you must be a more well-rounded player, but American football is so specialised by position, so specific in the knowledge needed, so incredibly fine-tuned by player type that breaking through and playing at the highest level requires so much more than just an amazing athlete.
  • @royw-g3120
    Absolutely has the athletic talent, NFL coaches are great at teaching individual skills. He is young enough too. Can see him as a second /third WR after a couple of years. But 1) has to dedicate 100% and2) avoid injury. Also surprised Jordan Mailata did not get a mention who is by far the biggest success to come through the IPP.
  • @kentgrady9226
    He faces an uphill battle. He's an elite athlete, to be sure. In terms of objective metrics by which prospective NFL players are evaluated, LRZ's rank from pretty good to average. He is particularly weak in the metrics which evaluate explosive power (vertical leap, and standing broad jump). In addition to the raw athletic ability (aspects of which must improve, to be candid), there is simply a huge amount of knowledge which he cannot possibly possess at this stage. Rules of the game, vocabulary, situational tactics, etc. Athletic talent notwithstanding, that alone is enough to make him a long shot bet. What he's got going for him: He's a mature, seasoned professional athlete. That's far more than the average American college player can say. He's got very good size and a big enough frame that he could pack on 7-10kg of lean mass without losing speed. That's very important. Finally, he's been signed by the best team and the most innovative coach in the NFL. If ever there was a situation in which a team might use a player whose rugby-specific skills might prove useful, he has found it. The Kansas City Chiefs are noted not just for winning, but for doing so in creative, unorthodox ways. They benefit primarily from the talents of Patrick Mahomes, who is quite simply the best quarterback I have ever seen (reference: I'm 53 years old). Mahomes is furthermore not only great, but he is just as creative and unorthodox as his coach. I can easily see him using LRZ in ways which would not occur to other quarterbacks. In the end, I wish the young man nothing but the best of luck. I love a great story in sport as much as anyone.
  • @julienporisse9902
    The only reason most don’t make it isn’t quality it’s just to do with TAKE NO RISK mentality in Pro Football.
  • @simongrogan
    So, the "real reason" is completely guessing the obvious ones. Well made video, no reason for the clickbait
  • @patbassman8251
    He couldn't of left Wales at a worse time for 30 pieces of silver .
  • @oriorda9470
    Clickbait… maybe… could be…. Might be a combination…. No REAL reason at all.
  • @xpat73
    He wants to big a celebrity and wear his baseball cap on backwards. He's never going to make it in the NFL.
  • @n-tertainmentx-tended4760
    The NFL would like to think it has the best athletes. It basically proves that by snubbing rugby players and keeping them in the practice squads. In reality NFL players aren't that special. Most of them wouldn't make it in rugby.