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Negativity around LRZ’s NFL move says more about rugby than him – Andy Goode

Louis Rees-Zammit is the first rugby union star in his prime that will try to crack the NFL.

It’s the boldest of moves and the rugby world should be right behind Louis Rees-Zammit’s attempt to crack the NFL, I just can’t fathom all the negativity.

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I think it’s a very rugby mindset to want to keep someone in their box and to infer all sorts of things about rugby itself rather than seeing it as one man chasing his dream and trying to be the best he can be.

We all know rugby is in a difficult financial position and the NFL has untold riches at the top level but this isn’t anything to do with that, after all he’s going to be on around £170,700 per year for the foreseeable future even if he does make it to a practice squad.

That’s significantly less than he was getting playing for Gloucester and Wales. The ultimate carrot is that the top wide receiver is on £21m per year and the top running back on £13.5m per year but it’s a real stretch to make this about the finances of the sport.

Rees-Zammit is a global star in rugby but that means he’s a big fish in a small pond, he has 32 international caps at the age of 22, has scored a hat-trick at a World Cup and has already been on a British & Irish Lions tour.

He’s done it all and could have another decade or more of his career ahead of him. Why should he just stay in his lane and do it all again and again? We should applaud him for stepping out of his comfort zone and taking on the biggest of challenges.

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The athletic ability on show in the NFL and even at college level in the positions he’s going to be attempting to play, wide receiver or running back, is phenomenal and he’ll be up against players who have grown up in the sport.

Christian Wade gave it a good go as a running back and was close to making it with the Buffalo Bills but that final leap to being on a NFL roster is a huge summit to ascend. Most assume Rees-Zammit will be more suited to wide receiver but only time will tell.

It’s interesting to see a couple of former rugby players in Harry Mallinder and Darragh Leader trying to make it as a punter or kicker in the same International Player Pathway as Rees-Zammit.

I was offered the chance to make a similar move to the Canadian Football League (CFL) after playing in the Churchill Cup in 2005 but I didn’t feel like I could at the age of 25 and in the middle of a relatively successful rugby career.

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That’s the point in all this, Rees-Zammit is 22 and has achieved most things already which helps but it’s a massively brave move to give it all up at least temporarily to start playing an entirely new sport.

Of course, he can return to rugby and potentially still earn 100 international caps even if he doesn’t quite make it in the NFL but he won’t be thinking like that.

Wales Argentina
Louis Rees-Zammit

Having messaged him, I don’t get the sense he’s under any illusions about the sheer scale of the task ahead of him either and events have unfolded quickly but he knows how tough it is going to be and is willing to put in the hard yards.

There are all sorts of motivations when it comes to a move as well so there might be a lifestyle element to it and a desire to move to the US and if there’s also an element of him seeing an opportunity to build his own brand even more, then fair play to him.

In rugby, whether it’s press officers, coaches or pundits, almost everyone wants players to be protected and not show their individual personality or they highlight the dangers of putting yourself out there.

If we’re having a conversation about growing the game, then players building their brands, expressing themselves and engaging fans on social media and beyond has to be absolutely central to that.

Rather than seeing this as a negative reflection on rugby, which I just don’t get at all, people should see it as a huge opportunity for the sport in a territory that it has consistently failed to crack if we’re being honest.

If Louis Rees-Zammit does make it in the NFL, think of the interest that could generate in his background, where he has come from and what rugby has to offer. I’m sure cameras will be following him around and documenting the journey and that’s good for the sport too.

World Cup hosts
(Photo by Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images )

The Rugby World Cup is in the USA in 2031 and we all hope that will play a big part in boosting the sport on those shores but Rees-Zammit could have a massive positive impact in the coming years and turn people on to rugby over there.

He had huge offers in rugby terms from Japan and France, they would have been the easy options and the most lucrative ones in the short term, so this move is about testing himself and trying to be the best he can be.

People can look back on their career in any walk of life and there’ll be times when they’ve played it safe, which can be a regret, so I think for him to take this opportunity and put himself out there is something we should all applaud rather than pour cold water on.

The fact that some are writing him off before he’s even stepped into his cleats will provide an extra source of motivation I’m sure but I think it says more about rugby as a sport than it does about Rees-Zammit that the response to this move hasn’t simply been support for a young man chasing his dream and taking on a colossal challenge.

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Comments

4 Comments
M
Michael 289 days ago

Let someone chase their dreams

A
Alexander 289 days ago

Completely agree. There's room much outrage in rugby nowadays.

Love how this outraged fans, and yet some of the fans outrageously boo Owen Farrell just for existing lol

S
Shaylen 289 days ago

I think its a big shock to the rugby community. Here is a player with all the potential in the world, a player who gets fans excited every time he touches the ball and a player who you would pay money to see and now he’s off at 22 to play a different sport. Its disappointing for fans and pundits not to mention the Wales team who have come to depend on his X factor but in the end its his choice and lets hope he makes it and wish him all the best.

L
LiamBerlin 290 days ago

Good piece, Andy

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

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