Wales international blasts Louis Rees-Zammit treatment and poses telling question
Wales international blasts Louis Rees-Zammit treatment and poses telling question
Louis Rees-Zammit is forging a path in the NFL now
Louis Rees-Zammit appeared on the Stock to Rugby podcast
(Image: Stick to Rugby/YouTube )
Former Wales hooker Scott Baldwin has criticised the treatment of Wales star Louis Rees-Zammit during the early days of his career.
Former Wales wing Rees-Zammit was told he would never play for Wales by former Cardiff defence coach Richard Hodges when he was in the club's academy. The rest is history, with Rees-Zammit moving to England where he took the Gallagher Premiership by storm with Gloucester before winning 32 caps for Wales and touring South Africa with the British & Irish Lions in 2021.
Rees-Zammit sensationally quit rugby union for a shot at the NFL early last year but things could have been very different for the 24-year-old.
Baldwin, who is now head coach of Super Rygbi Cymru club Bridgend, took to Instagram to criticise Cardiff's approach to Rees-Zammit in those formative years.
"Happens too much, another example is Leigh Halfpenny," said Baldwin. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
"No coach at any age has the right to try and kill someone's dream!
Article continues below
"Imagine Louis Rees-Zammit and Pence (Halfpenny) had listened to those coaches!
"I also got told by a coach while at Ospreys a similar thing, luckily he left before he could get rid of me."
Rees-Zammit reposted Baldwin's post on his own Instagram reel.
Former Wales and British & Irish Lions legend Halfpenny was not offered a contract by the Ospreys at a young age but luckily got picked up by Cardiff.
If Rees-Zammit had listened to Hodges' opinion a successful career would have been flushed down the toilet before it had even began.
The Jacksonville Jaguars star appeared as a guest of the latest episode of The Overlap's Stick To Rugby podcast, where he spoke about the period prior to him receiving his first international cap. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.
Rees-Zammit was asked about how he signed for Gloucester's academy from Cardiff Blues (as they were known at the time, now Cardiff Rugby). The winger explained that having gone through the system at Cardiff Schools and Cardiff Blues under-16s, he came to the realisation he wanted to attend Hartpury College in Gloucester.
However, the former Wales star claimed that Cardiff Blues gave him a stark ultimatum: "If you go across the bridge, you're not allowed to play for Cardiff."
"I ended up just making the decision to leave Cardiff Blues," explained Rees-Zammit. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free
"I went over to Hartpury College, and then within two weeks I had a trial at Gloucester, their academy.
"Before that, when they ended up making the decision to leave Cardiff Blues and go to Hartpury, it was a tough decision, because there is one person that told me that I would never play for Wales."
"That one person who told you that you would never play for Wales, have you seen them recently? Do you want to name and shame him now or not?" asked England legend Lawrence Dallaglio.
Article continues below
"It's Richard Hodges," answered Rees-Zammit. "He was obviously the Cardiff Blues head of academy at the time."
"100% they were trying to scare me," he added.
"They said it to me and my dad. I went to watch a Cardiff Blues game as a fan and he said that to me and my dad after. It kind of actually just put me off it, (I thought) I'm definitely going over there now now."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
37 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Wrexham owner and Hollywood star files documents to officially change his name
Wrexham FC co-owner Rob McElhenney's wife and his It's Sunny in Philadelphia co-star Kaitlin Olson claimed the couple's kids are not in favour of the name change Wrexham FC co-owner Rob McElhenney has filed documents to legally change his name. The It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia star, whose character in the show is known as Mac, wants to be known .by the name Rob Mac in real-life, according to documents filed in Los Angeles. The shortened versions of his first and last names are a far cry from his full title of Robert McElhenney III. He first mentioned his intention to change his name in an interview with US outlet Variety in May, telling them: 'As our business and our storytelling is expanding into other regions of the world and other languages in which my name is even harder to pronounce, I'm just going by Rob Mac. McElhenney's wife and It's Sunny in Philadelphia co-star Kaitlin Olson has said the couple's kids are not in favour of the change and suggested she is also concerned about it. She said: 'The kids are really not happy about it because they have that last name. And so do I, legally!'. He launched private company 'More Better Industries' in 2024, and was part owner of Philadelphia bar 'Mac's Tavern,' which announced Monday it was closing after 15 years in business. McElhenney, 48, and fellow Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds, 48, bought Wrexham football club in 2021. They have since been credited with a 50 per cent surge in visitors to the Welsh city after charting the club's rise to the Championship on Disney+ series Welcome to Wrexham. The show is a big hit in the US, where last month alone more than 300,000 people searched for Wrexham content on internet site Reddit. Tourism chiefs say it is part of the set-jet trend inspired by what people see on TV.
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
Lions player ratings as Henry Pollock pure X factor but Irish duo need to up games
Lions player ratings as Henry Pollock pure X factor but Irish duo need to up games The British & Irish Lions are up and running. British & Irish Lions players react following their rugby match win against the Western Force in Perth (Image: AP Photo/Trevor Collens ) The British & Irish Lions got their tour of Australia off to a winning start with a comprehensive 54-7 victory over the Western Force in Perth. It was by no means perfect and they did endure a ropey first half but Andy Farrell's side seemed to click after the break as they crossed for eight tries in total. There were a number of impressive individual performances, while one or two others were below par and will need to up their game to make the Test side. Here are your player ratings. 15. Elliot Daly 7 A few eyebrows were raised when Daly was named in Farrell's original squad but this was an assured performance from the Englishman. His positional play was first class, while his kicking out of hand put the Force under pressure. Article continues below Daly does the less fashionable things well as he hit some good angles and some neat passing unlocked the Force defence. Grabbed himself a brace of tries. 14. Mack Hansen 7 The Connacht man did not have the best of first halves and was outplayed by Force wing Dylan Pietsch but he was much better after the break. Hansen hit some good lines in the second half while a nice offload to James Lowe ended up with Tomos Williams scoring in the early stages of the second half. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. He also put in a couple of key defensive interventions and his performance will have pleased Farrell. 13. Garry Ringrose 6 Defended well and brought with his line speed cutting off the Force attack on a couple of occasions during the first half. Ringrose was quietly effective, claiming a try during the second half but will need to up his game if he is to cement a spot in the Test side. 12. Sione Tuipulotu 7 Like many players Tuipulotu was quiet during the first half but came to life after the break. The Scotland star finished the game as the top carrier with 16, while he hit some good angles to rip through the Force defence. It's going to be tight between Tuipulotu and Bundee Aki for the number 12 shirt against the Wallabies. 11. James Lowe 8 The left-wing put in a strong performance on his Lions debut. He may not have got himself on the scoreboard but he played an influential role in five of the tries. A sumptuous offload put Dan Sheehan over, while he made a number of line breaks and his passing under pressure was top class. Lowe was used infield regularly and was effective as a playmaker. 10. Finn Russell 8 This was an assured display from the Lions playmaker who outlined why he is the frontrunner to wear the number 10 shirt against the Wallabies. Russell's range of passing unlocked the Force defence throughout the second half while his decision to take a penalty quickly set up Daly's try. He also kicked 10 points from the kicking tee and controlled the game well. 9. Tomos Williams 8 The Wales scrum-half put in a fine individual performance but it was ruined by an injury in the act of scoring a try. Williams was a constant threat with ball in hand and his support lines resulted in two tries for the Gloucester number nine. The 30-year-old's service was also slick while he got the balance right between when to kick, run and pass. Farrell will be hoping his injury is not too serious because he was excellent in Perth. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free 8. Henry Pollock 8 This kid is pure X-factor and has the ability to rip open the tightest of defences. Unlocked the Force defence with a stunning break before offloading to Williams for their second try. Pollock also regathered his own kick to set up the Lions' sixth try to hammer home his point of difference. There are still a few too many errors in his game but with Pollock on the field Farrell knows there will be at least three or four standout moments which can turn a game in their favour. Blotted his copybook with a yellow card. 7. Josh van der Flier 7 The experienced Irishman put in a huge defensive shift with 22 tackles made as he helped keep the Force to just the one try in what was a ferocious onslaught by the hosts during the opening quarter. His counter rucking is an underrated part of the game while he also carried well. But there were no turnovers for the Leinster star with referee Ben O'Keeffe not awarding a single jackal penalty over the course of the 80 minutes. 6. Tadhg Beirne 5 Not his greatest game. The experienced forward wasn't at his dynamic best and conceded too many penalties in the first half. Beirne was effective at the lineout but there were no trademark carries or turnovers from the Ireland star. He can play much better than this and needs to up his game over the next few weeks. 5. Scott Cummings 5 The Scotsman got through a lot of work in making five carries and 12 tackles while he also denied the Force a try at the stroke of half-time by holding the hosts up over the line. This was a tidy performance but he did not set the world on fire either. The Force pack were on top for most of the first half before they tired and the Lions gained the upper hand after the break. Cummings didn't do enough to threaten the Test side. 4. Joe McCarthy (Star man) 9 Outstanding! The Irish lock made some key interventions while the Lions were under pressure in the first half. A tremendous rip at the maul probably saved a try, while he achieved two further turnovers. McCarthy made 15 powerful carries and caused havoc with his counter rucking while he also put in 17 tackles. Claimed a well-deserved try for good measure and has put down a strong claim to partner Maro Itoje at lock for the Tests. 3. Tadhg Furlong 5 This was not his greatest game. It will probably go under the radar due to the margin of victory but the Lions scrum struggled and Wallabies loosehead Tom Robertson had Furlong under huge pressure. The experienced Ireland tighthead was also not as prominent as usual around the park. He needs to up his game. 2. Dan Sheehan 6 The Lions captain put in a solid performance with 12 tackles and five carries. Sheehan also scored the opening try with and put in a big shift around the park even if he did not set the world alight. On the whole the lineout was a lot better than it was against Argentina in Dublin which is credit to Sheehan. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. 1. Pierre Schoeman 5 The Scotland prop was industrious if not spectacular with 10 tackles and four carries. But he was under severe pressure at a couple of scrums and another referee would have penalised the Lions. Needs to do better if he is to have a chance of overtaking Ellis Genge and Andrew Porter for the Tests. Replacements 16. Ronan Kelleher 6 Only got 14 minutes on the field but got a few powerful carries, while the lineout functioned well. 17. Andrew Porter 6 Solid upon entering the fray with a couple of decent carries and scrummaged well. 18. Will Stuart 6 The Gallagher Premiership winner was solid and will fancy his chances of putting pressure on Tadhg Furlong for the Test team. 19. Ollie Chessum 7 The England star looked very prominent after coming onto the field and ensured the lineout ran smoothly. 20. Jack Conan 6 A couple of powerful carries but also fumbled the ball forward once when the Lions had momentum. 21. Alex Mitchell 7 Looked sharp after replacing Williams and finished a try superbly at the death. 22. Huw Jones 6 The Scotland centre looked dangerous will ball in hand and will surely get a start against the Queensland Reds in midweek. Article continues below 23. Marcus Smith 7 Did well after replacing Russell with his vision and passing helping to add a few extra tries. Also contributed four points from the kicking tee.
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
Lions boss Andy Farrell issues Tomos Williams update after Wales star's injury
Lions boss Andy Farrell issues Tomos Williams update after Wales star's injury Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams hobbled off injured against Western Force on 50 minutes Lions coach Andy Farrell speaking to Sky Sports (Image: Sky Sports ) Andy Farrell has provided an update on Tomos Williams after the Wales star limped off injured in the win over Western Force on Saturday. The Lions began their tour with a comprehensive victory over the Perth-based side but they were made to work for it in the first half, with the hosts fronting up well. After the break the away team pulled away, eventually running out 7-54 winners. Williams scored two of the tourists' eight tries in an impressive 50 minutes on the pitch, but there will be huge concern in the Lions camp tonight after the Gloucester man sustained an injury while scoring his second. After good link-up play with Mack Hansen, Williams dotted the ball down in acrobatic fashion but immediately clutched his left hamstring when rising from the turf. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. England international Will Greenwood, working for Sky Sports, said after it happened: "I'm just hoping Tom Williams is OK. Rob Howley, 1997, right in amongst it, did his shoulder against the Sharks. Article continues below "And a hamstring.... ooooh.... fingers crossed for him." Sam Warburton added: "Firstly you take no chances, especially with fast and explosive players like Tomos, get him off straight away. "If he's going to be limping like that, you're looking like he's going to miss next week, the midweek game for certain." Williams was replaced by Alex Mitchell. Farrell has now provided an update on the former Cardiff Rugby number nine, saying on Sky Sports post-match: "It's a tight hamstring, so. "You don't know what these things are like. Hopefully it's a bit of cramp. We'll assess that, certainly in the morning." On the game, Farrell added: "Again, a new-ish team. Plenty of learning from last week and the same again from this week. "When we get out composure in the second half we were able be nice and calm. "I mean, let's be honest, the Force took it to us. I thought they played a tough high-percentage game. They kept the ball really well and we kept them in good field position through our ill-discipline. "It was a real good test for us in that first half, glad how we composed ourselves at half-time and kept our composure throughout the second half. "There are nine new caps there. A couple of lads have not played they will get to play in the next couple of games. "It is nice to get tries on the board and a few good individual performances. That is all good for the future, and we have to keep pushing one another. Article continues below "If you want to look what a Lion should do for his team-mates is when Mack Hansen went up and down the field and fought for his team-mates. "That's the sort of spirit we want." The Lions are back in action in midweek against Queensland Reds on Wednesday (11am UK time).
