Wales legend makes big claim about Louis Rees-Zammit’s return as he warns selection won’t be ‘straightforward’
Louis Rees-Zammit has 10 years left of rugby in him and can be the poster boy again for Wales
Former Wales centre Jonathan ‘Fox’ Davies has claimed that Louis Rees-Zammit has 10 years left of rugby in him and can once again be the poster boy for Wales.
Rees-Zammit recently announced that he will be returning to rugby following an almost two-year stint chasing an American football dream. His chances of ‘making it’ in the National Football League (NFL) were slim, but he gave it a good crack, first being drafted for the Kansas City Chiefs, and then being picked up by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Despite not making any first-team appearances, the 24-year-old was able to work with some of the most impressive athletes and conditioning staff in the world, giving him that next level of physical training, which will no doubt benefit the Welshman’s rugby goals going forward.
Rees-Zammit – Poster boy
Speaking to Fruity King about the returning star, Davies said: “When he left, Louis was the poster boy of Welsh Rugby. He was the main attraction, and when he left, a lot of people were gutted. For us as a nation, and having such a small player pool, we want and need as much talent as we can back in Wales.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for us and rugby to have one of the stars back in the sport. It’s going to take some time to get back up and running, but what he does possess is a huge amount of talent. And he can be that poster boy again.”
Davies credited the former Gloucester star for making the leap of faith and trying his hand at a new sport.
“It would have been easy for him to stay where he was because he probably knew he was going to be successful in rugby and no doubt be signed by a big club for a lot of money. But he took a chance which could have changed his life completely,” he praised.
“It was a big call, and you’re obviously aware that the chances of him making the team were very slim. I follow the NFL, I’m a big fan of it, and I knew his chances were extremely slim to get on a 53-man team. He knew in the back of his mind that he always had this option to come back here.”
The American dream
Rees-Zammit may not have achieved all he wanted to in America, but Davies thinks the move back is the right one.
“I did see him during his time there, and he said he was enjoying it, and it was amazing that he was enjoying it,” he said.
“The lifestyle was great. I think he may have found adapting harder than he thought because of the way the game is run, the number of plays that you have to learn. It’s a huge, huge ask. I remember Christian Wade saying it was like learning the London telephone directory.
“But real credit to him, he gave it a go. He is still only 24. So, potentially, he has 10 years of rugby left in him.
“I would have said it was probably the right move for him to come back because you don’t see many making the transition to the NFL, especially in his specific position of wide receivers. But he gave it a crack.
“He can’t be judged a failure. He could have stayed in rugby these last couple of years and played international rugby, signed a new contract, probably for a lot of money. And he went for something to try his hand at something he’d always wanted to.
“It takes a strong man to understand what’s the next step in his career. It’s a wise decision to come back to rugby because before he went, he was one of the best players around in his position.”
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Rees-Zammit’s return to rugby
Davies doesn’t expect the return to rugby to be seamless, but is convinced that his stock will have risen.
“He’s gone away and lived abroad and experienced something totally new that no one in rugby has. Coming back into rugby, you like to think he has that maturity now of being well-travelled and experienced,” he explained.
“There’ll be a lot of responsibility on him, and there’ll be a lot of pressure on him as well now. I think people will expect him to come back and play at the level he was playing. For me it’s, he’ll be expected; one to perform, and two to become a leader as well of the group if he is in the Welsh squad.”
While Rees-Zammit is focusing on finding a club first and foremost, his return will also come with the expectation that he will return to the international stage. Despite Wales’ results being less than desirable in recent times, Davies doesn’t expect him to be granted a place in the side straight away.
“He might have maybe six games before the Autumn Internationals. As long as he plays and he shows that he’s finding his rhythm again, I think he will be back in the Wales squad sooner rather than later,” he said.
“But it will not be straightforward. You look at the youngsters coming through and the experience of someone like Josh Adams. There are Tommy Rogers, Blair Murray, who have been outstanding this year.
“Back three is an area of strength for Welsh rugby. So he’s going to have to show that he can compete at that level again. Knowing what Steve is like, he’s not just going to pick him because he is Louis Rees-Zammit.”
If Rees-Zammit does return to the Wales set-up, his responsibilities will be much higher than when he first graced the international stage. Wales are currently in their worst form of the professional era with no end in sight. The nation is crying out for a saviour – LRZ will need to be just that.