Gloucester release Louis Rees-Zammit so he can pursue ‘dream’ of NFL career

By Sports Desk January 16, 2024

Gloucester have released Wales and British and Irish Lions wing Louis Rees-Zammit with immediate effect to “pursue his dream” of a career in American Football.

The Gallagher Premiership club made the announcement as Wales head coach Warren Gatland prepared to unveil his squad for the Guinness Six Nations Championship.

Gloucester said: “Gloucester Rugby have agreed to release winger Louis Rees-Zammit with immediate effect to enable the 22-year-old to pursue his dream of playing in the National Football League (NFL).

“The Welsh international has accepted an invitation to join the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) which provides elite athletes from around the world with an opportunity to earn a place on an NFL roster.

Rees-Zammit is one of the hottest properties in world rugby, excelling for Gloucester, Wales and the Lions through his try-scoring prowess and thrilling attacking ability.

The winger, who has been capped 32 times for Wales, said: “Gloucester Rugby has been a huge part of my life. From the start at Hartpury College and my first professional rugby contract with Gloucester in 2020, to my Wales and Lions caps, the club has been central to my development as a player, and I am so grateful for their support.

“I will always be very proud of my time at Kingsholm, and want to particularly thank the incredible fans who make the club so special.

“Also, to my team-mates, to George Skivington and Alex Brown, thank you for giving me such special memories and for supporting this next stage of my career.

“I have had the incredible honour of playing rugby for my country which, as a proud Welshman, I’ve never taken for granted.

“However, I believe that this is the right time for me to realise another professional goal of playing American football in the US. Those opportunities don’t come around very often.”

Rees-Zammit will leave the UK for Florida this week to begin the IPP programme.

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    Wales head coach Warren Gatland did not have answers about his future following their 45-12 defeat to South Africa, their 12th consecutive loss.

    The Springboks dominated from the off and were cruising 26-0 just before half-time, after Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Elrigh Louw crossed.

    Rio Dyer's try before the break ensured Wales did not draw a blank in the first half, but South Africa did not let up as Aphelele Fassi, Gerhard Steenenkamp and Jordan Hendrikse all followed suit.

    James Botham's late effort ensured Wales did not suffer their worst-ever home defeat, but they have now gone an entire calendar year without a win for the first time since 1937.

    Gatland has come under increasing pressure as the losses pile up, and though his future remains up in the air, he was proud of how his inexperienced side held up against the world champions.

    "It's about seeing what the Welsh Rugby Union has to say," he told TNT Sports when asked about his future.

    "You don't make a decision straight after a game, it's always tough coming to a press conference straight after a game before you've had time to catch your breath and look at some of the stats and numbers.

    "Let's just see what happens over the next few days."

    On their recent run of form, he added: "We punched massively above our weight for a number of years, and we've been saying that when the dam bursts it's going to take a little bit of time to put things right.

    "The dam has burst, but it's about making sure that, collectively, with the regions we work together.

    "I think we need to be in better shape in a conditioning point of view. We will work on that with some of the players over the next couple of months, so when they turn up for the Six Nations, they're ready to go from day one."

    South Africa have won each of their last three Tests, building on their wins over Scotland and England earlier in the series.

    Captain Siya Kolisi was pleased with their ruthlessness in the game but also sympathised with Gatland's situation.

    "It's been a really good tour," he told TNT Sports. "It hasn't been perfect, the first two games we weren't happy - happy we won, but there was so much we could have done better.

    "The results are important, but it's how you do things, the standards we set for ourselves. We know we can do a little bit better as a group.

    "We were where Wales are a couple of years ago.

    "The only thing I can say is you just can't stop believing. If you look at their starting backline, one of our guys had more caps than all of them. You have to be realistic about these things."

    Elsewhere, Ireland produced their most convincing win of their series, scoring eight tries as they cruised past Fiji 52-17 in Dublin earlier on Saturday. 

  • France 37-23 Argentina: Les Bleus wrap up campaign with third win France 37-23 Argentina: Les Bleus wrap up campaign with third win

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    Having also beaten New Zealand and Japan in Paris this month, Fabien Galthie's side claimed four tries, including a superb solo effort from Louis Bielle-Biarrey, as they eased to victory against the Pumas. 

    The hosts led 30-9 at the break after Argentina's Julian Montoya and Juan Martin Gonzalez were both shown yellow cards in the first half, with Thomas Ramos slotting his third penalty of the game. 

    Tomas Albornoz made it 30-16 for Felipe Contepomi's visitors, but their hopes of a comeback were dashed as Bielle-Biarrey scored his fourth try in three games before Ramos made it 37-16. 

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    England head coach Steve Borthwick has demanded his team to be "brave on the ball" when they take on Eddie Jones' Japan in the Autumn Nations Series on Sunday. 

    Borthwick's side have lost each of their last five matches, their longest such run since another five-game stretch between February and June 2018.

    However, they have not lost more in a row since a streak of seven in 2006. Each of the five losses in their current streak have also come in single-digit margins.

    But England have also struggled at home. They have fallen to defeat in their last three matches at the Allianz Stadium, their longest losing run since 2008. 

    Only once before have they lost more in a row at the Twickenham venue (L5 between 1971 and 1973), though Borthwick has urged his players to persist with an attacking style. 

    "We are trying to play the game a different way," he told BBC Sport.

    "I am encouraging the players to be brave with the ball, to move the ball, that’s where the strength of the team now is and where it is going to be in the future."

    Borthwick named his 23-man squad to face Japan on Friday, reinstating Tom Curry and Sam Underhill, nicknamed the "Kamikaze Kids" by Jones in 2019. 

    Curry has been recalled to the team after he was knocked out against Australia, and he replaces Chandler Cunningham-South in the back-row.

    In the other change from the starting XV that lost to South Africa, full-back George Furbank comes in for Freddie Steward.

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    "We anticipate a tough challenge from a team that thrives on playing fast and with tempo," said Borthwick. 

    "Japan are a dangerous team, so it’s important that we execute our game plan and maintain focus throughout the full 80 minutes."

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    George Furbank, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Ollie Sleightholme, Marcus Smith, Jack van Poortvliet, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl.

    Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Fin Baxter, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Nick Isiekwe, Chandler Cunningham-South, Harry Randall, Fin Smith, Tom Roebuck. 

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