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International

Louis Rees-Zammit 'disappointed' with 40-yard-dash time

Louis Rees-Zammit of Gloucester Rugby looks dejected as he leaves the field at full-time after their teams defeat in the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester Rugby at Sandy Park on November 19, 2023 in Exeter, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Louis Rees-Zammit has expressed disappointment at his 40-yard-dash time at the NFL Pro Day – the latest step in his journey through the 2024 International Player Pathway Program.

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Despite already receiving offers from multiple NFL teams, the former Wales winger’s 40-yard dash time left him wanting more.

At the University of South Florida and in front of scouts from all 32 NFL franchises; Rees-Zammit recorded a 4.44-second dash – a time that apparently didn’t meet his own high expectations of the event.

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Known for his remarkable speed on the rugby field, Rees-Zammit had achieved faster times in training, aiming for the 4.2s and 4.3s range.

“LRZ told me he was disappointed with his time in the 4.4s and said he’s run in the 4.2s and 4.3s,” reported Rob Maaddi, a senior NFL reporter for the Associated Press.

To contextualize Rees-Zammit’s performance, it’s worth noting that since 2013, only 11 players have managed a sub-4.30 second sprint at the NFL Combine. While 4.44 is good time, realistically the former Gloucester winger would have wanted to post that a time that put him among the sport’s elite, to give him a greater point of difference as he plays catch-up against athletes that have been playing the sport since childhood.

This Pro Day was part of the 23-year-old’s intensive 10-week crash course under the IPP, a program designed to integrate international talents into American football.

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Since its launch in 2017, the initiative has seen some success, with participants like rugby league convert Jordan Mailata making an impact in the NFL.

Rees-Zammit – along with other rugby players such as Harry Mallinder, Darragh Leader, and George Smith – aim to follow in these footsteps, proving the potential of rugby talents in American football. Currently, 18 IPP athletes are on NFL rosters.

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Louis Rees-Zammit receives offers from 3 NFL franchises

The 23-year-old Rees-Zammit is on a 10-week crash course to prepare to play American football as part of the 2024 International Player Pathway. He received offers before scouts from all 32 NFL franchises watched him in action at an NFL Pro Day on Wednesday afternoon.

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Comments on RugbyPass

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unknown 1 hour ago
Whitney Hansen names eight new faces in Black Ferns Pacific Four squad

Where is Alana Bremner

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F
Fart-Fart 1 hour ago
Jeff Wilson on why Ardie Savea must fill All Blacks bench role

Tamaiti got folded last season he's not strong enough for his size and Aumua is better than Taukeiaho, he was massive vs poms in 2024 and throwing was on too.

6 Go to comments
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RC 2 hours ago
Jeff Wilson on why Ardie Savea must fill All Blacks bench role

The All Blacks pioneered and perfected the final 20 onslaught from 2012-2017…

The boks boring “bomb squad” doesn't compare 🤣



...

6 Go to comments
J
Jordan 01 2 hours ago
Jamie Joseph’s simple take on where the Highlanders are struggling

Well If fakatava didn’t kick the ball back to the opposition everytime he gets the ball they might make some progress 😒

11 Go to comments
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PB 2 hours ago
Jeff Wilson on why Ardie Savea must fill All Blacks bench role

Been saying all along, trying to fit pieces around Ardie in the loose trio is costing the AB’s

Ardie is an impact player! He doesn’t want to play the Sam Cane type role that Sam Cane and Mc Caw played, and is essentially to small to play 6 or 8



...

6 Go to comments
L
Ludovici 2 hours ago
Jeff Wilson on why Ardie Savea must fill All Blacks bench role

Love it, everyone following the Springboks recipe.

6 Go to comments
H
Hammer Head 2 hours ago
Johann Ackermann's Bulls gore Cardiff in Pretoria

Nah. Just straight up the middle, garden variety, kants.

11 Go to comments
I
Icefarrow 4 hours ago
Wallabies appoint former All Blacks defence coach as assistant

Wallabies going all out on ex-NZ coaches. Must be desperate to end their losing streak against us. Kidding, good appointment though.

1 Go to comments
I
Icefarrow 4 hours ago
Jeff Wilson on why Ardie Savea must fill All Blacks bench role

We don’t need a 6-2 split. Almost every team we’ve beaten in the past two years went with one, and lost. It doesn’t add the impact many think it does. And why would you want a playmaker like Christie to come on and slow down the game? You need pace in the last twenty, in which case Hotham is your man.

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BH 4 hours ago
Elliot Dixon: 'When I got to the line, I knew the ball had landed on the boot'

Great read. Dixon was a champ of a player.

All a try needs is to touch a single blade of grass. It did. So the try was awarded and history was made.



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cnw 4 hours ago
Jeff Wilson on why Ardie Savea must fill All Blacks bench role

I like the thought process. Thats a powerful bench. Would like to see the starting bench to see how the spread of mass works. Curious too about how he would use this bench. I dont know that it is the last 20 thats key. If the Bok game in Wellington, the Autumn series and the 6N is anything to go by - the key period for momentum is between minute 30 and minute 65. It seems teams are playing a super high intensity first 25-30 minutes and the team that can keep accelerator down from minute 30 through to 65 will take control of the game. While orthodoxy suggests a 50 / 30 split - reversing that and going 30 / 50 so the ABs get say Sititi or Lakai going mad for the first 30 and Ardie comes on minute 30 could do exactly that while having him on the field in the finish too.

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Jono 6 hours ago
Petaia et Perpignan : pourquoi ça ne prend pas

Une analyse sévère qui passe complètement à côté de l'essentiel. Petaia a débarqué dans un club en plein chaos et a été tranquillement l'un des joueurs les plus fiables de l'effectif dans les domaines qui comptent vraiment — son travail défensif a été le meilleur de l'équipe, son jeu au pied levé est de classe mondiale, et juger un arrière uniquement sur le nombre d'essais dans une équipe qui peine à produire du jeu vers l'avant est une analyse paresseuse.

Zéro essai ne veut pas dire zéro contribution. Regardez ce qu'il fait dans les phases de construction, les passes décisives, le travail qui met ses coéquipiers à l'essai. Rien de tout cela n'apparaît dans les statistiques.



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J
JW 7 hours ago
The five performers of the week from Super Rugby Pacific round six

I think you need to give Brumbies their due, they’ll push the top four this year and continue to be a threat at home.

7 Go to comments
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JW 7 hours ago
The five performers of the week from Super Rugby Pacific round six

He’s a lot smaller than Parker, two different styled 6/8’s, so depends what you’re after.

7 Go to comments
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Spew_81 7 hours ago
Jamie Joseph’s simple take on where the Highlanders are struggling

I thought that Kidwell would prepare a better defense.

11 Go to comments
J
JW 7 hours ago
Jamie Joseph’s simple take on where the Highlanders are struggling

Thats the Canes third 50 the thing to stand out of this game was their defense, or at least the lack of points conceded.

That scoreline partly to blame with what Joseph about not staying calm when getting behind. I think they did make it worse for themselves and this is represented in what you highlighted with the amount of errors/handling. If they hold onto the ball and score then you are also not seeing one or two, maybe even three, of those Canes tries, so upto four try swing in that one area alone.



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11 Go to comments
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JW 7 hours ago
Damian McKenzie weighs in on NZR's approach to eligibility after departures

Thats what he’s describing happens now.

11 Go to comments
J
JW 7 hours ago
Damian McKenzie weighs in on NZR's approach to eligibility after departures



How about if you don’t think they will fit back in then don’t pick them.

But now you’re having to pick someone who wasn’t as good as DMac when he needed to play in SR.



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E
Ed the Duck 8 hours ago
'There's always a lot of chat with them. They're quite mouthy'

“There’s always a lot of chat with them. They’re quite mouthy.”

Arrogant team. Arrogant players. Arrogant fans.



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John Breslin 8 hours ago
What The Rugby Championship needs to do to rival the Six Nations

Yep. Japan in 2015 - still the only team to win 3 pool games and not progress. Shafted by the scheduling

Tonga beat France in 2011 but still got trapped in the pool, scheduling didn't exactly help them



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61 Go to comments
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