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'Social media shot up after the Scotland game. I got 70,000 people following me... it was very weird'

(Photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images)

Louis Rees-Zammit has given his first interview as a Guinness Six Nations title winner for Wales, the 20-year-old telling The Rugby Pod about his feelings while watching last Friday’s France versus Scotland game, how Wales celebrated the result, what it is like being an overnight Instagram sensation and his acquaintance with ex-England and Manchester United footballer Paul Scholes. 

Rees-Zammit played for Gloucester in their win over Exeter last Friday at Kingsholm and it wasn’t until the late stages that he was back at home to watch events unfold in the Test match in Paris, a result that led to the Six Nations trophy being presented to Wales the next day at their Vale of Glamorgan training base. 

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“Our game was brought forward, we finished against Exeter with a good win and my dad drove me up so on the way back I could watch the Wales game,” explained Rees-Zammit on the show co-hosted by Andy Goode and Jim Hamilton.

“So I caught the last ten minutes in the house with my family and I was so scared. I didn’t know if France were going to win it or whatever. Even in the 82nd minute when France couldn’t even win, I was still nervous. That was a good night, to say the least. 

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“We had a few Proseccos, that was the first time I actually had Prosecco, to be honest,” he continued, detailing what happened the next day when Wales met up. “It was weird because you were just in a barn and you were like yeah, not full of fans and screaming, but to win the Six Nations is a dream come true and I really enjoyed it. 

“I don’t know what it would feel like with fans but there was definitely a lot less pressure when I was running into stadiums, especially watching it on TV when there were fans and going to Stade de France and there were 80,000 French fans screaming at you, you don’t want to make one mistake do you? It was definitely a lot easier. I just can’t wait for fans to be back.

“When I first went in last Six Nations, I didn’t play but Wales made me feel very welcome. I settled in really well. At the start, I walked into the changing rooms and you see all these big players and you just say hi from a distance.

“The next campaign you are kind of settled in then and you’re making friendships and you’re getting closer with the boys and that helps massively when you are playing because if you don’t really know someone the chemistry is not going to be there. I have definitely settled in really well and all the boys have made me feel very welcome.”

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That chemistry was pivotal in Rees-Zammit becoming a Six Nations star, scoring in the opening round win over Ireland and adding two more in the thriller away to Scotland which brought him to the attention of many new admirers.

“It was a bit weird at the start and then after a few games I kind of got used to it and the social media shot up after the Scotland game. I got 70,000 people following me (on Instagram) after that one try or the two tries, it was very weird. 

“I didn’t get much media training because everything has happened in such a short period of time, I have just been using every interview as a training method. There is definitely advice out there. A few of the Gloucester media team have been speaking to me. I just try and focus on my game but yes, I am thoroughly enjoying my professional rugby and I am just trying to keep on doing what I am doing.”

Wales next beat England at the end of February to clinch the Triple Crown and while Gloucester colleague, English winger Jonny May, has been on the receiving end of some banter, Rees-Zammit was respectful by not bringing his Six Nations medal to training. 

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“He [May] has been getting some stick by Mark Atkinson which is quite funny but no I didn’t do that,” he said, adding that won’t reveal who might be the quicker of the pair, downplaying the evidence of a previous race.   

Jonny has actually done shuttles across the pitch then so he was a bit tired and I was a bit fresher in that race. On another day he could beat me, I’m not sure. At the end of the day, he is my teammate, I am never going to say who is faster because we don’t know.”

Rees-Zammit also touched on his rapport with ex-United footballer Scholes, whose daughter he dated for a while. “He had a word with me (about playing for England and not Wales) but it was going in one ear and going out the other. 

“He had actually never watched rugby, had never watched a rugby game and he watched me for the first time, I think it was Exeter at home last year and that was the very first rugby game he had ever been to. So yeah, he said he enjoyed it and he still watches the games actually.”

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J
JPM 36 minutes ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 39 minutes ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

10 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
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