Gloucester boss George Skivington revealed on Tuesday that he was in contact with Louis Rees-Zammit after the Gallagher Premiership membership’s former winger joined Jacksonville Jaguars’ follow squad final week following his Kansas Metropolis Chiefs launch.
It was final January when the 23-year-old sensationally stop Kingsholm for a shot at American soccer through the NFL’s worldwide participant programme. The Wales and 2021 British and Irish Lions decide was snapped up a number of months later by the reigning SuperBowl champions.
Nevertheless, regardless of that includes final month in all three of the franchise’s pre-season matches, the Chiefs determined to not embrace Rees-Zammit of their official 53-man roster for the season and the participant determined that his next-best step was to hitch the Jacksonville follow squad in Florida.
The Gloucester social media workforce was fast off the mark with its response to the switch, posting a video displaying them unfollowing Kansas on X, previously generally known as Twitter, and as a substitute following Jacksonville.
Skivington was unaware of this social media mischief as he isn’t on any platforms however he defined to RugbyPass on Tuesday that he was in current contact with Rees-Zammit and that final week’s transfer may but be the making of him in America.
“I had a message to-and-fro to him and he’s in a superb area,” relayed the Kingsholm director of rugby. “It didn’t work out at his first cease however he has obtained one other alternative. It was at all times going to be a tricky problem to make it within the first time round.
“The vital bit for him is he has survived that first time round and Jacksonville have seen one thing in him after they performed towards him, which is nice information for him. I do know first-hand coaches, you see issues totally different in gamers.
“One participant is a hero to at least one coach and he isn’t to a different and that’s much more so in Louis’ place proper now the place individuals are having to work off the uncooked supplies on a younger man who’s studying the sport however hear, if there’s anybody who can crack it it’s Louis and I do know he shall be going full throttle.
“His athleticism has been acknowledged over there, which is an actual assertion. and it’s simply whether or not he can pay money for these expertise, nevertheless it’s nice that he survived. It’s in all probability nice for him there’s one other teaching group taking a look at him from a special angle.
“He could have picked up stuff thick and quick from his first expertise and I’m positive he’ll study some extra now. Hopefully he survives a season over there the place he can study, sharpen his instruments after which if he’s going to prepared, I’m positive he’s going to be prepared on the finish of that season. I don’t assume it’s a catastrophe. If something, it is likely to be a constructive for him.”
Though Rees-Zammit is barely a follow squad participant and isn’t out there for match choice with the Jaguars, the expectation is that he’ll journey with them for subsequent month’s common season NFL matches at Tottenham and Wembley.
These London fixtures towards Chicago Bears on October 13 and New England Patriots on October 20 are positive to pique the curiosity in a Gloucester dressing room the place Christian Wade, who was signed to switch Rees-Zammit, spent three years on the Buffalo Payments follow squad.
The Cherry and Whites don’t have a fixture conflict on the primary weekend as they host Bathtub on October 12, however their match away to Leicester the next weekend on October 20 kicks off half-hour after Jacksonville begin versus the Patriots.
“I’d like to go if that strains up,” mentioned Skivington, not sure of subsequent month’s fixtures scenario when he answered. “However there shall be individuals additional up the (ticket request) record if he finally ends up coming over.”
