Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'It's going to set off a chain reaction': Rees-Zammit's NFL move

Louis Rees-Zammit of Wales celebrates victory at the final whistle following the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between Wales and Fiji at Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux on September 10, 2023 in Bordeaux, France. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Louis Rees-Zammit’s well-renowned move to the NFL’s International Player Pathway in January will set off a “chain reaction”, according to South Africa fly-half Handre Pollard, who says such a move is not for him.

ADVERTISEMENT

The former Gloucester and Wales winger confirmed his move to the IPP in January, a matter of minutes before Warren Gatland was set to name his Wales squad for the Guinness Six Nations.

Other players have pursued this path before, but the 23-year-old is undoubtedly the most high-profile player to do so. As a result, the double World Cup winning Springbok thinks other rugby players will follow the Welshman’s route.

Video Spacer

TRY or NO TRY – Boks Office discuss Scotland vs France | RPTV

In the latest episode of Boks Office, the guys and special guest Matt Stevens chat about the late drama in the Six Nations clash between Scotland and France. Watch the full episode on RugbyPass TV now

Watch now

Video Spacer

TRY or NO TRY – Boks Office discuss Scotland vs France | RPTV

In the latest episode of Boks Office, the guys and special guest Matt Stevens chat about the late drama in the Six Nations clash between Scotland and France. Watch the full episode on RugbyPass TV now

Watch now

Rees-Zammit was not the only former rugby player to make this move last month, as he has also been joined by former Northampton Saints and England U20 back Harry Mallinder, who is trying out as a kicker or punter.

Mallinder’s role would be the one that would suit Pollard, who kicked the match-winning penalty in the World Cup semi-final against England last year before kicking all twelve points the week later against the All Blacks in the final.

However, speaking to Jim Hamilton on RugbyPass TV’s The Big Jim Show, the 29-year-old said a move to the NFL does not appeal to him, saying “rugby’s too fun”.

“I enjoy the NFL, I watch quite a bit, but I’ve never thought of that,” Pollard said when asked about trying out to become an NFL player.

ADVERTISEMENT

“But for a guy like [Rees-Zammit] to leave, it’s big. I think it’s going to set off a chain reaction with a couple of guys.

“RG Snyman as a tight end, imagine that? If someone wants to go and try it, go for it, enjoy it, but I don’t think it’s not for me.

When asked whether he would be interested in becoming a kicker, following in the footsteps of fellow Springbok Naas Botha, Pollard said: “I get that, that’s appealing, but rugby’s too fun. I enjoy it. Even though it’s cold in the winter down here in Leicester, running out at Welford Road with your guys together, blood, sweat and tears, I just love that and there’s nothing else for me to be honest.”

Related

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

4 Comments
b
buzz 276 days ago

I can't see it myself.

To make it as an outsider in the NFL you either need to be a physical freak - Jordan Mailata, Christian Okoye etc or you need some college experience.

Asking Zammit to play in the NFL after the IPP would be like bringing Tyreek Hill over to the UK for a 10 week rugby training camp then asking him to play in the 6N right after.

C
Chris 277 days ago

I doubt RZ will make it in NFL
He is on a steep learning curve and will get few opportunities

N
Neale 277 days ago

Most Brits will get so bored by the NFL regime they’ll end up pleading for a flight home.

P
Paul 278 days ago

So… Handre can see the draw to NFL (the money), but it wouldn’t appeal to him. I am pretty sure this is the same answer that most pro rugby players would give. Rees-Zammit may well end up coming back to Wales a multi millionaire without ever catching a ball, but I am not sure that he will be happy with his decision. American Football is so specialised and is very difficult for a player to be successful even if they have been playing since they were 6. It’s almost impossible aged 22.

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 3 hours ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Ok, managed to read the full article..

... New Zealand’s has only 14 and the professional season is all over within four months. In France, club governance is the responsibility of an independent organisation [the Ligue Nationale de Rugby or LNR] which is entirely separate from the host union [the Fédération Française de Rugby or FFR]. Down south New Zealand Rugby runs the provincial and the national game.

That is the National Provincial Championship, a competition of 14 representative union based teams run through the SH international window and only semi professional (paid only during it's running). It is run by NZR and goes for two and a half months.


Super Rugby is a competition involving 12 fully professional teams, of which 5 are of New Zealand eligibility, and another joint administered team of Pacific Island eligibility, with NZR involvement. It was a 18 week competition this year, so involved (randomly chosen I believe) extra return fixtures (2 or 3 home and away derbys), and is run by Super Rugby Pacific's own independent Board (or organisation). The teams may or may not be independently run and owned (note, this does not necessarily mean what you think of as 'privately owned').


LNR was setup by FFR and the French Government to administer the professional game in France. In New Zealand, the Players Association and Super Rugby franchises agreed last month to not setup their own governance structure for professional rugby and re-aligned themselves with New Zealand Rugby. They had been proposing to do something like the English model, I'm not sure how closely that would have been aligned to the French system but it did not sound like it would have French union executive representation on it like the LNR does.

In the shaky isles the professional pyramid tapers to a point with the almighty All Blacks. In France the feeling for country is no more important than the sense of fierce local identity spawned at myriad clubs concentrated in the southwest. Progress is achieved by a nonchalant shrug and the wide sweep of nuanced negotiation, rather than driven from the top by a single intense focus.

Yes, it is pretty much a 'representative' selection system at every level, but these union's are having to fight for their existence against the regime that is NZR, and are currently going through their own battle, just as France has recently as I understand it. A single focus, ala the French game, might not be the best outcome for rugby as a whole.


For pure theatre, it is a wonderful article so far. I prefer 'Ntamack New Zealand 2022' though.

The young Crusader still struggles to solve the puzzle posed by the shorter, more compact tight-heads at this level but he had no problem at all with Colombe.

It was interesting to listen to Manny during an interview on Maul or Nothing, he citied that after a bit of banter with the All Black's he no longer wanted one of their jersey's after the game. One of those talks was an eye to eye chat with Tamaiti Williams, there appear to be nothing between the lock and prop, just a lot of give and take. I thought TW angled in and caused Taylor to pop a few times, and that NZ were lucky to be rewarded.

f you have a forward of 6ft 8ins and 145kg, and he is not at all disturbed by a dysfunctional set-piece, you are in business.

He talked about the clarity of the leadership that helped alleviate any need for anxiety at the predicaments unfolding before him. The same cannot be said for New Zealand when they had 5 minutes left to retrieve a match winning penalty, I don't believe. Did the team in black have much of a plan at any point in the game? I don't really call an autonomous 10 vehicle they had as innovative. I think Razor needs to go back to the dealer and get a new game driver on that one.

Vaa’i is no match for his power on the ground. Even in reverse, Meafou is like a tractor motoring backwards in low gear, trampling all in its path.

Vaa'i actually stops him in his tracks. He gets what could have been a dubious 'tackle' on him?

A high-level offence will often try to identify and exploit big forwards who can be slower to reload, and therefore vulnerable to two quick plays run at them consecutively.

Yes he was just standing on his haunches wasn't he? He mentioned that in the interview, saying that not only did you just get up and back into the line to find the opposition was already set and running at you they also hit harder than anything he'd experienced in the Top 14. He was referring to New Zealands ultra-physical, burst-based Super style of course, which he was more than a bit surprised about. I don't blame him for being caught out.


He still sent the obstruction back to the repair yard though!

What wouldn’t the New Zealand rugby public give to see the likes of Mauvaka and Meafou up front..

Common now Nick, don't go there! Meafou showed his Toulouse shirt and promptly got his citizenship, New Zealand can't have him, surely?!?


As I have said before with these subjects, really enjoy your enthusiasm for their contribution on the field and I'd love to see more of their shapes running out for Vern Cotter and the like styled teams.

287 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Five legends to be inducted into World Rugby Hall of Fame Five legends to be inducted into World Rugby Hall of Fame
Search