17 January 2024 , 16:55
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Rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit has been warned that chasing his NFL dream could be a "brutal" and "lonely" experience. The Welsh and Gloucester winger has announced he's leaving rugby to join the NFL's International Player Pathway program, which aims to increase the number of international players in the NFL.
Christian Wade, the England international who left London Wasps for the NFL in 2018, shared his own tough experiences.
He told InstantCasino.com.: "You can literally be cut on any day. That is the most daunting thing," and "The NFL is the American dream. If you make it, it is great, if you don't it's a brutal experience seeing guys being cut and you know it could happen to you at any moment.
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"I got a two-year deal with the Bills, then another but at the end of my third year I injured my shoulder. I went onto injury reserve then released."
Wade hinted that there's more to the game than just physical prowess, stating: "There is politics involved like there is in every sport. But in the NFL it is magnified."
He added, "At the end of the day the NFL is a business and a brutal one. As rugby players we are not involved in a side that is ultimately a business. There are decisions that are made that have nothing to do with your ability. There is a lot to get your head round."
Louis Rees-Zammit has been warned about the challenge he will face in America (No credit)Rees-Zammit first caught attention at Gloucester, making his debut for Wales in October 2020 when he was still a teenager. He quickly became one of the country's most promising young talents, scoring his first international try against Georgia a month later.
The speedy 22-year-old has since become one of the most thrilling wingers in rugby, even playing for the British and Irish Lions on their South Africa tour. Rees-Zammit scored five tries at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, helping Wales reach the quarter-finals - but Wade had some words of caution about the NFL.
"One of the biggest lessons I learned is don't try to figure things out or rationalise things. That will only mess your mind up," Wade advised. "You need your mind to make sure you know the plays! And being ready to make the big plays when you come on.
Christian Wade previously left rugby to try and make it in the NFL (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)"It is a big journey, a big sacrifice and a big challenge. Anyone from rugby who tries to make it I keep an eye out to see how they do. We all have to help each other, especially coming from this side of the pond because sometimes it can be very hard to get help when you're over there.
"Everybody is fighting for their own survival. America is a very big place and very lonely. It definitely is going to be lonely, But once you get an opportunity to play and once you prove yourself a few people might start talking to you. You might make one or two friends, then you have to keep backing it up. It is a slow burner. You have to prove yourself every single day.
"It definitely is survival of the fittest. I wish Louis all the very best of luck and for sure if he wants help he just has to call me. I can give him a few tips when he needs help."
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