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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Robert Kitson

Louis Rees-Zammit’s hasty ditching of Wales for NFL adventure is huge gamble

Louis Rees-Zammit
Louis Rees-Zammit has scored 14 tries in his 32 Tests for Wales but if he does return for the 2025 Six Nations the Lions tour to Australia will likely be out of reach. Photograph: Paul Harding/Getty Images

So you’re 22 years old. You have always enjoyed watching American football and you have just had an offer to head to Florida to gauge your potential to make it in the mega‑bucks NFL. No guarantees but there is an awful lot of cash on offer if you can crack the code. Do you say: “Yes, please”? Or do you say: “No, awfully sorry, we’re playing Castres in the Challenge Cup on Friday”?

Place yourself in the fast‑moving boots of Louis Rees‑Zammit and, in deepest darkest January, you can see immediately why the ultimate American dream might appeal: if I’m good enough, sweet; if not, at least I gave it a go in my athletic prime. As LRZ made clear in his hastily written farewell note, this sort of life-changing opportunity does not come around every day.

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