Louis Rees-Zammit says he is only “one injury” away from his NFL debut. He considers his first season in American football as a “learning year”.
A member of the “practice squad” of the Jacksonville Jaguars franchise, the 23-year-old Welshman has still not played in the NGL, even if he tasted the top level during the Kansas City Chiefs‘ three pre-season matches in August .
In the last episode of Walk the Talkexclusively for RugbyPass TVLouis Rees-Zammit spoke to Jim Hamilton ahead of the NFL match between Jacksonville and the New England Patriots this Sunday, October 20 at Wembley Stadium in London.
An express adaptation for Rees-Zammit
The Welshman talks about his life as a prospect on an NFL reserve team. For him, this first year is a “learning year” especially since the Jaguars are using him as wide receiver while he was running back to the Chiefs. He feels he could make his debut at any moment, as did five practice squad players before him.
Rees-Zammit only put rugby on hold last January. For any athlete, it would have taken a Herculean amount of work to play in the NFL. But for him, it only took a few months of acclimatization.
“I changed positions, so I’m going to learn this year,” he told Jim Hamilton. “I will do my best to play if the opportunity arises. For now, I’m in the shoes of a reserve player who travels with the team and prepares to play in the event of an injury during warm-ups. »
Rees-Zammit, to an NFL injury?
“We have a game plan and everyone knows it, not just the first team players. In reserve, we also master it. In the first six matches, five reserves were able to play. If a player gets injured, they call us. I might be one injury away from playing. »
The rugby world has been waiting to see the Welshman’s debut for a while, but also wondering if he could return to rugby one day. Like Hamilton, many people would like to see him shine in his new sport, but the question arises. »
“I miss rugby,” says LRZ
Rees-Zammit’s answer is clear, even if he focuses on the present moment.
“I miss rugby,” explains the player with 32 caps for Wales. “I watch Gloucester every weekend. You should never say never, but my dream is to play in the NFL. I will do everything to achieve it but, if it does not happen for one reason or another, I will return to rugby. It is in this state of mind that I approach my career. »
This article was originally published in English on RugbyPass.com and adapted into French by Idriss Chaplain.
