Welsh squad under Gatland

[dullonien]

Almost missed that Dafydd Jenkins was named as captain. So hopefully Bard won't be starting, because surely Rowlands is a guaranteed starter too?

 

[Gavin]

Shocked by LRZ move to NRL.

Felt he had the opportunity to become a legend of the Welsh game, like Shane Williams.

I guess at such a young age, even if he goes away and doesn't get selected by the NRL, he could return for the 2027 world cup, right?

 

[Welsh Exile]

Almost missed that Dafydd Jenkins was named as captain. So hopefully Bard won't be starting, because surely Rowlands is a guaranteed starter too?

This is by far the best news of the day. As you say it pretty much guarantees that Beard will be on the bench against Scotland, and moving forward.

I also like that Gatland agreed with me as he's just confirmed that he believes Rogers to be a 15 unfortunately he also ticked Cai Evans as 15 but hopefully we have Winnet and Rogers battling it out for the 15 jersey for the next decade.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Shocked by LRZ move to NRL.

Felt he had the opportunity to become a legend of the Welsh game, like Shane Williams.

I guess at such a young age, even if he goes away and doesn't get selected by the NRL, he could return for the 2027 world cup, right?

Is it 1st April already??

Amazed at that. Disappointed. Huge kick in the nuts for rugby and Welsh rugby in particular.

He'll come back home with a bigger bank balance having achieved nothing on the field of note.

He's a terrific athlete by rugby standards but his level of ability won't stand out over there. And then the small matter of learning a new game.

Good luck and all that but on a personal level I hope he doesn't come to regret it.

Antony Watson spoke about a similar move in the past. But think injuries kiboshed it as a realistic option.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Staggered by the LRZ news- have loved watching him play- a massive wake up call IMO to the domestic game.

Is it really?
I always thought he might have a go. I think he will like the potential fame draw to it as well as the pay.

Let's be real he could prob earn more in France or Japan he has the star name unlike Wade.
But at his age he actually has a chance IMO of making it.

People say he won't do anything.
Wade was 29 and had massive injury problems during his chance
Hayne was similar

LRZ will be against Rookies his own age, look at how well Maliata did.

 

[Geordie]

Shocked by LRZ move to NRL.

Felt he had the opportunity to become a legend of the Welsh game, like Shane Williams.

I guess at such a young age, even if he goes away and doesn't get selected by the NRL, he could return for the 2027 world cup, right?

NFL...American football not NRL....

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Still, good luck to him. Got to follow his dreams, whilst he's young and if it doesn't work out he can always return. One name to chalk off for the BIL.

Louis Rees-Zammit quits rugby in shock move to pursue dream of NFL career

The Wales winger Louis Rees-Zammit has been released by his club Gloucester with immediate effect so he can pursue his ‘dream’ of a career in American football

www.theguardian.com

 

[Welsh Exile]

Still, good luck to him. Got to follow his dreams, whilst he's young and if it doesn't work out he can always return. One name to chalk off for the BIL.

Louis Rees-Zammit quits rugby in shock move to pursue dream of NFL career

The Wales winger Louis Rees-Zammit has been released by his club Gloucester with immediate effect so he can pursue his ‘dream’ of a career in American football

www.theguardian.com

By the sounds of it it's his dad's dreams not his really. Said he's doing it to make his dad as proud as he can or something like that. His dad should tell him to do what he wants and not be concerned with what he thinks. And when I say do what he wants I mean stay and play for wales, obviously.

 

[Geordie]

Well good luck to the lad...but it wont be easy. I know LRZ is in some shape, but those NFL boys are serious athletes...and Christian Wade struggled and he was quite an attacking specimen

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Is it really?
I always thought he might have a go. I think he will like the potential fame draw to it as well as the pay.

Let's be real he could prob earn more in France or Japan he has the star name unlike Wade.
But at his age he actually has a chance IMO of making it.

People say he won't do anything.
Wade was 29 and had massive injury problems during his chance
Hayne was similar

LRZ will be against Rookies his own age, look at how well Maliata did.

I do think the international program will always favor lineman. Converting a thrower or the rare 300 lber from another sport has to be easier than getting a rugby player to learn new skills. He could surely do it from a physical standpoint but the technical part will be hard.

Nate Ebner went rugby to football to rugby and he was a special teamer and sevens player at the highest level. The least specialized in each sport.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

By the sounds of it it's his dad's dreams not his really. Said he's doing it to make his dad as proud as he can or something like that. His dad should tell him to do what he wants and not be concerned with what he thinks. And when I say do what he wants I mean stay and play for wales, obviously.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67995451

Don't know the ins and out of it all, this quote from him suggest that is part of it:

"It's nothing about rugby, it's about my ambition to make my dream come true and play in the NFL.

"As a little boy my dad has always brought me up to be a big NFL fan and growing up he used to play American football, so it's kind of to continue his legacy and hopefully go beyond and make him proud."

Of course it's a shocker for Welsh fans and even Gatland.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

So apparently LRZ only approached on Sunday and has everything done and dusted by Tuesday lunchtime?

Being a little bit interested thanks to his Dad is one thing, but has he ever mentioned this "dream" to anyone else?

Despite the nice words I expect both club and country are somewhat dischuffed.

I'm quite annoyed by this and I'm not even bloody Welsh!

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

So apparently LRZ only approached on Sunday and has everything done and dusted by Tuesday lunchtime?

Being a little bit interested thanks to his Dad is one thing, but has he ever mentioned this "dream" to anyone else?

Despite the nice words I expect both club and country are somewhat dischuffed.

I'm quite annoyed by this and I'm not even bloody Welsh!

Yeah the whole "it's always been a dream and I'm making my dad proud" thing is pretty blatantly just damage control for his reputation. Sounds a lot better than "I'm chasing a **** ton of cash".

Tbh I'd respect him a lot more if he actually came out and just said the latter. There's no shame in trying to secure his future, especially with the state of the WRU/pro rugby as a whole at the moment.

 

[Saintjay]

Is it really?
I always thought he might have a go. I think he will like the potential fame draw to it as well as the pay.

Let's be real he could prob earn more in France or Japan he has the star name unlike Wade.
But at his age he actually has a chance IMO of making it.

People say he won't do anything.
Wade was 29 and had massive injury problems during his chance
Hayne was similar

LRZ will be against Rookies his own age, look at how well Maliata did.

32 pro teams, around 900 college teams. The NFL did have more TV viewers than the NBA, NHL and MLB combined.

Good luck to the guy but the NFL system is ruthless especially with the
limited places. He's up against college kids who are pro athletes and who have been playing the game for years. He'd be doing well to even make a practice squad.

 

[Welsh Exile]

32 pro teams, around 900 college teams. The NFL did have more TV viewers than the NBA, NHL and MLB combined.

Good luck to the guy but the NFL system is ruthless especially with the
limited places. He's up against college kids who are pro athletes and who have been playing the game for years. He'd be doing well to even make a practice squad.

LRZ is a pro athlete but I take your point. Hes going to be completely new to it and will have to do about 15 years of catching up to do against other pro athletes he's competing against.

 

[McTallshort]

Hope he does better than Wade

 

[Welsh Exile]

I hope he fails and he's back in a red shirt in a year.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Hope he does better than Wade

Wade looked good in preseason.

Literally basically scored 2 TD's with 2 touches.
If Wade was younger and stayed fit he would've made it.

People undersell how quick wingers are I feel, also how much better tacklers the nfl players are

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Yeah the whole "it's always been a dream and I'm making my dad proud" thing is pretty blatantly just damage control for his reputation. Sounds a lot better than "I'm chasing a **** ton of cash".

Tbh I'd respect him a lot more if he actually came out and just said the latter. There's no shame in trying to secure his future, especially with the state of the WRU/pro rugby as a whole at the moment.

He was linked to the nfl a couple years ago, it was just assumed to be nothing

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Well good luck to the lad...but it wont be easy. I know LRZ is in some shape, but those NFL boys are serious athletes...and Christian Wade struggled and he was quite an attacking specimen

Wade struggled because he couldn't stay fit also like 6 years older when he moved