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'He told me I'd never play for Wales': One coach's brutal put-down of a 16-year-old Rees-Zammit
By Liam Heagney
Lions pick Louis Rees-Zammit has revealed how an old coach of his at Cardiff told him at the age of 16 that he would never play for Wales after he chose to go to Hartpury College rather pick somewhere more local to study. The now 20-year-old stuck to his guns, moving to England where he has since gone on to establish himself on the Gallagher Premiership circuit with Gloucester, his form there becoming the stepping stone for his nine-cap breakthrough season with the Six Nations title-winning Wales which has now led to his selection to tour South Africa with the Lions.
Rees-Zammit's call-up by Warren Gatland made him the youngest Lions pick since 1959, quite an achievement in sharp contrast to the negative dressing down he was given by an unwitting coach just a few years ago.
Appearing in the latest edition of Rugby Journal, the acclaimed coffee table magazine, Rees-Zammit gave a rare life-and-times style interview that touched on a crucial part of his development - his decision to move from Wales to England to further his education.
Rees-Zammit doesn't name the coach in the interview but their paths have since crossed at Wales training under Wayne Pivac, resulting in the electric winger giving that person a very wide berth due to what was previously said.
"He told me I would never play for Wales," explained popular Lions pick Rees-Zammit in the lengthy interview. "It was when I was 16 and had decided to go to Hartpury and he said I couldn't go to Hartpury and play for the Cardiff Blues and he was like, 'Make a decision'.
"It was when I was 16 and had decided to go to Hartpury because I didn't want to go to a college in Wales," he continued. "I did go and look at a few colleges around Wales, but there was no comparison - it was the facilities, the social side... Then I went to a Cardiff Blues game and he was there, and he walked up to me and said, 'That's going to cost you a Welsh cap', and walked off. I was a 16-year-old boy. I just thought, 'Oh my God, have I made the right decision?'
"When I was in the Six Nations camp later, he [the coach] came to two sessions and was shaking everyone's hand and I just avoided him - I've not spoken to him since."
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I guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.
Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.
Go to commentsWhatever let's see if this load of waffle is still valid in 2 years time. ABs will rise we have a lot of new talent coming through. The NPC was the highest standard for years. The game is changing to suit the fast pace we like to play. We get to play the Springboks more, including the franchises, which will make us better! Overall I am optimistic. I will add having watched the England game multiple times we made most of the play. England are an awesome physical team, but you can expect the All Blacks to get better and better at executing the chances. It could easily have been 5 tries to one instead of 3 to 1.
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