Louis Rees-Zammit 'gutted' to miss Six Nations but says his American football dream is 'alive'
Louis Rees-Zammit is “absolutely loving training" in Florida as he pursues his "dream" of playing American football.
Rees-Zammit says he's "getting used" to the differences between rugby and American football after joining the NFL’s intensive 10-week IPP programme in Florida.
He has been training as a wide receiver while also doing some running back drills and says “there’s a lot of transferable skills".
The 23-year-old speaking on BBC Wales’ Scrum V programme said: “I’m absolutely loving training. My pursuit to be in the NFL is alive and I’m excited to see what the next 10 weeks holds.
“It’s tough to get your head around it a little bit at the start but, as with everything, you get used to it.
“The vision out of the sides (of the helmet) kind of effects things. But I’m getting used to it now and I’ll see what happens.”
Ten international players have joined the IPP, according to Rees-Zammit, with a pro day held at the end of the programme to determine whether individuals are good enough to make the NFL grade.
He said: “You basically come here and work the game of football on and off the field, in the classroom and training six days a week.
“Ten weeks of intense training to see if your dream becomes a reality.
“It was the hardest decision of my life (to leave rugby), but it was always something I wanted to do, since a young age, and I thought it was the right time.
“If it works out, I have 10 years to try to play the sport I have loved growing up watching or I can come back to rugby and play the sport I love playing.”
Rees-Zammit has also been making huge gains on social media since he made the switch. Thousands of fans from across the world have started following him on Instagram - with his appearance in Netflix's docuseries Six Nations: Full Contact adding to his popularity.
He also features in a new NFL nine-part weekly documentary series following the IPP class of '24.
Louis has been watching Wales' progress in this year's tournament and has admitted being "jealous" and "pretty gutted" that he did not play against England on Saturday (10 February).
Wales have lost their opening two Guinness Six Nations games - with a narrow 16-14 defeat at Twickenham. Louis said: “The boys put a shift in and just managed to lose, which was tough. They gave it their all."
He's also been moved by the way Warren Gatland handled his decision to leave rugby. He said “Gats was unbelievable with me when I told him of my decision.
“He asked if it (American Football) did not work what I would be doing and I said obviously I would be coming back to rugby.”
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