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Wales Online
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Louis Rees-Zammit reveals shock England rugby approach after getting Wales ultimatum
Louis Rees-Zammit reveals shock England rugby approach after getting Wales ultimatum Former Wales star Louis Rees-Zammit has looked back at the formative years of his rugby career The former Wales rugby winger was approached by England before Wales. (Image: Stick To Rugby - YouTube ) Louis Rees-Zammit has revealed he was told he would never play for Wales and was approached by Eddie Jones to play for England. 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. Rees-Zammit is going into his second season of American football, and has been in the UK doing work for Jaguars in London ahead of their return there next season. He also took the opportunity to chat with Tom Shanklin, Katy Daly-McLean and Lawrence Dallaglio about his journey so far. 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 on Stick to Rugby. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "I went over to Hartpury College, and then within two weeks I had a trial at Gloucester, their academy. Article continues below "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. "But I sat down with my family and told them I want to go to Hartpury because of how well known it is for producing great players and a good education as well. "I went to do A-levels there, and after a day I knew all the rugby players had done a BTEC, so instantly I switched to do a BTEC, which is quite funny, because all of my classes were with all the rugby boys, so you can imagine what the rooms were like. The studying in the library was not really there, we were just fully focused on our rugby at that point. Two weeks in, I joined Gloucester, did the academy." "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?" joked Dallaglio. "It's Richard Hodges," answered Rees-Zammit. "He was obviously the Cardiff Blues head of academy at the time." "You could do the Pretty Woman: *huge mistake*!" joked Dallaglio. "I suppose the theory behind it is that they really wanted you to stay and they were probably trying to scare you a little bit," clarified Shanklin. "100% they were trying to scare me," answered Rees-Zammit. "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." "Everyone wants you to be a rugby player but they shouldn't take away your education at the same time," explained Dallaglio. "Especially in rugby clubs, and they're no different in England as well, by the way. They want you to spend more time around the first team if you're talented, like you are, and you're young. So they say: 'Don't worry, we'll support your education', but they're not really thinking like that to be honest with you. What they should say is: 'Carry on getting your degree, finish it, and when you're ready, we'll have you'." Also on the show, Rees-Zammit revealed that it was actually former England boss Eddie Jones who first enquired about his international eligibility, following a string of impressive performances for Gloucester in the English Premiership. "Actually, Eddie Jones rang me first to play for England," revealed Rees-Zammit. "I think Wales found out about that and within a day I had (Wayne) Pivac call me." "Was this in the Six Nations?" asked Shanklin. "Yes," confirmed Rees-Zammit. "It was more that I wasn't actually English-qualified, but Eddie Jones was asking if I was and if I wanted to be involved, because I actually did an England camp when I was younger." "How long have you been at Gloucester at that point?" asked Dallaglio. "Two years," answered Rees-Zammit. "So it was only one more year and you would have been English-qualified?" asked Dallaglio. "Yes, it was," responded the Welshman. Rees-Zammit also went on to explain that he did a full Wales campaign without playing a single minute. During the 2020 Six Nations, which the pandemic impacted, he was with the squad for the entirety of the tournament, but was not selected by Pivac. "I never got picked, I never got capped," he added. "I would have still been 18 so I would've been one of the youngest players and it didn't turn out to happen. But then in the autumn internationals, played France away and that was my debut for Wales." Article continues below If you would like to watch the full episode of Stick To Rugby, click here.
Wales Online
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Welsh rugby legend's perfect response to King Charles left Wales star speechless
Welsh rugby legend's perfect response to King Charles left Wales star speechless Tom Shanklin told the tale about King Charles and Gethin Jenkins on a recent podcast The Welsh rugby legend had the perfect response for the King to be. (Image: © Huw Evans Picture Agency ) Gethin Jenkins' response to King Charles left Tom Shanklin speechless at the opening of a Cardiff restaurant. On the latest episode of The Overlap's Stick To Rugby podcast, England icon Will Carling joined Scott Quinnell, Katy Daley-McClean, Lawrence Dallaglio and Shanklin. Carling had been telling tales from his playing career, during which he had encounters with famous people like John Cleese among others, then Shanklin took the opportunity to tell a rather comical tale of his own. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "There was a new restaurant that opened in Cardiff," began Shanklin. "It was a church that had been converted. Prince Charles, or King Charles, now, came to open it. "Spiros, who owned the restaurant, invited a load of people to come and open it with him. Article continues below "Prince Charles comes in, meets Spiros and shakes his hand. Meets Jason, who is his right-hand man, and Gethin Jenkins is in this line as well, so he meets three of four different people who work at the restaurant." Lawrence Dallaglio began cracking up before the punchline: "I've gone early!" "And then," continued Shanklin. "Prince Charles goes: 'And you? You must be the chef', to Gethin Jenkins! "He goes: 'No, I'm the world record cap-holder for Wales!' "I didn't know what to say!" See the video below For a long time, Jenkins was the world record cap-holder for Wales, being an integral figure in one of their most successful ever periods. The legendary prop was overtaken by Alun Wyn Jones in 2019, with the lock's appearance against Australia at the World Cup taking him to 130 total appearances at Test level for Wales, which was one more than Jenkins had managed to achieve. Article continues below The 44-year-old is part of the Wales coaching set-up once again, being drafted in by interim boss Matt Sherratt for the upcoming tour of Japan, which will involve two Tests against the Brave Blossoms. Joining Jenkins and Sherratt in the Far East will be T Rhys Thomas, Danny Wilson and Adam Jones. There is talk of Leigh Halfpenny being called up to coach for his country as well.
Wales Online
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Wales legend broke news of mother's death to Joe Marler and his reaction says it all
Wales legend broke news of mother's death to Joe Marler and his reaction says it all 'I don't know if I'm going to get emotional here,' began legendary prop Adam Jones. Ospreys legend Adam Jones had just received the awful news when Joe Marler asked if there was anything he could do to help. (Image: THE OVERLAP RUGBY ) Wales icon Adam Jones received the news of his mother's death before Joe Marler managed to lighten the mood with an unintentional X-rated moment. The newly-appointed Wales scrum coach appeared as a guest on the latest edition of The Overlap's Stick To Rugby podcast, where he was interviewed by Tom Shanklin, Scott Quinnell, Lawrence Dallaglio and Katy Daley-McLean. Dallaglio asked Jones about his relationship with the fan favourite former England international, and the Welshman said he "got on well" with Marler before telling a peculiar, bittersweet tale that encapsulated what he was like as a friend. "If you're friends with him, he is the best bloke," began Jones. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "I don't know if I'm going to get emotional here, but we were in San Francisco with Quins on a pre-season camp. We had been to Philadelphia the year before, San Francisco the next year, the furthest we went with the Ospreys was Tenby or something like that. So, with Quins it was already a different level. "We had a good night out, day off the next day. Then I get a phone call from my wife at three o'clock in the morning saying that my mother has died. She fell down the stairs. You are obviously devastated. I come back into the room and I'm crying my eyes out. Article continues below "I'm sat at the end of the bed and Joe is my roommate. And he's like: 'Bomb, Bomb, what has happened?' "'My mam has died, she has fallen down the stairs.' He rushes over: 'What can I do, what can I do?' "I'm sat at the end of the bed, and I don't know whether he did this on purpose, I looked up and all I could see was his genitals in my face. He looks at me and says: 'Shall I put some shorts on?'" Dallaglio said: "That'd be a good thing to do!" "It lightened the mood straight away," continued Jones. "And then he took me to Denny's and we spent the next two hours there reminiscing and eating. "When he cares about you, he is the best bloke. He can be a nightmare, when he doesn't care he can be a pain. "I'll always remember that day when he was there for me, I don't think he was joking! But it happened to be quite amusing having a package in my face, shall we say?" Jones has just been revealed as part of Wales' coaching staff for the upcoming tour of Japan. Of course, he was on board during the Six Nations but had returned to Harlequins following the end of the tournament. Article continues below Joining him in the Far East will be interim head coach Matt Sherratt, Gethin Jenkins, T Rhys Thomas and Danny Wilson.
Wales Online
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wales rugby stars were confronted by gunman in stand-off after toilet fight
Wales rugby stars were confronted by gunman in stand-off after toilet fight The incident unfolded during a tough tour of South Africa in 2008 Tom Shanklin and Warren Gatland on the podcast (Image: Stick To Rugby podcast ) Tom Shanklin has recalled the terrifying moment he and his Wales team-mates were threatened by a gunman during a tour of South Africa. Wales played two games against the Springboks as part of a two Test series back in 2008, succumbing to a 43-17 defeat in Bloemfontein before going down 37-21 in Pretoria a week later. The former winger, remembers it as a 'tough tour', but events off the pitch were arguably far more hair-raising, with Shanklin recalling a chilling incident that unfolded during an ill-advised night out. Casting his mind back to that tour alongside former boss Warren Gatland on an episode of the Stick to Rugby podcast, he asked the Kiwi coach: "Do you remember 2008 when we toured South Africa? I think it was the second Test we played against them. "You tried to keep us out of town, so they hired a Castle Bus, the lager, and they just took us around. "It had no windows, but there was a bar inside. Article continues below "The plan was just so we could stay confined. But that didn't stop us and we headed out that night. "Something happened in one of the toilets, it might have been a fight with a local and one of our players. "The guy who was a local there, he came back about five minutes later and he had a gun on him!" "I wasn't there," Gatland swiftly interjected. Listen to the latest Welsh rugby podcast Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free "So there we had armed security with us and this guy pulled a gun," Shanklin continued. "All these security guards with us were just saying 'face them, walk back slowly'. Article continues below "So we're all doing that, apart from one person; Mark Davies the physio. He just sprints past us and gets on the van and hides. "It was a tough tour."
