by Louis Rees-Zammit’s expulsion from American football on the eve of the Six Nations invaded the public conscience in a way rugby union rarely does. He asked excited questions on cell phones. Why was the Welsh winger, already a British and Irish Lion and a star of the sport at 22, giving up on a place on the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP)? Can he succeed in the States as a running back or wide receiver?
Many will follow Rees-Zammit’s progress closely. Harry Mallinder and Darragh Leader’s masterpieces will also delight rugby fans. Both have represented their respective countries, England and Ireland, at Under-20 level and are looking to become kickers or punters. Two lesser-known rugby players, however, may have better shots to conquer the NFL. George Smith joined the IPP from Coventry, having been recruited by the Championship outfit two seasons ago from Old Redcliffians, the Bristol fifth tier outfit where Ellis Genge learned the game.
Travis Clayton is another IPP inductee. It was with Basingstoke in Hampshire’s 2 Counties, at level eight of the pyramid (see Instagram post below).
Both Smith and Clayton are big men. The first, green, stands 6 feet 9 inches and weighs around 19 lb 11 (277 pounds). Clayton, a swing wing, is a shade 6ft 7in and weighs 20lb 12 (292lb). They will learn how to protect quarterbacks as offensive linemen. It was in this role, at left tackle, that Jordan Mailata, who played rugby league in Australia before the IPP became successful, started Super Bowl LVII for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Offensive linemen require tremendous power and mobility as well as intuitive knowledge of play patterns. Osi Umenyiora, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants and who is now one of the IPP ambassadors, shows the importance of raw materials.
“The offensive line is very difficult, but the one thing they have is ‘Planet Theory’,” he explains. “There are only so many people over 6ft 6in walking the planet, right? Everyone else, there are a lot of them. The big guys, there aren’t many.
“If you have a guy that size and you can teach them the little intricacies and make him aware of it, they have a much better chance of success than anybody else. When you look at the IPP program, who was our most successful player? Jordan Mailata, one of the Planet Theory guys.
“You see a guy that size, you’d think ‘OK, we’re going to train him’. Everyone else is a dime a dozen in the NFL.”
At 6ft 3in and 13st 12st, or 194 pounds, Rees-Zammit is reported to have an “average” build for a wide receiver in the NFL. Umenyiora believes the ex-Gloucester flyer will “probably be quicker” than most, too. There is a complementary comparison to Julio Jones, who was selected to the Pro Bowl for six consecutive seasons between 2014 and 2019.
“There are a few wide receivers that come to mind with his frame and profile,” says Rees-Zammit’s Umenyiora. “Maybe Julio Jones? Let’s see how [Rees-Zammit] moves laterally and how fast it is in small areas. When tested, he had the pace and measurables to be a good player.”
“I think he’s definitely going to gain muscle and weight,” says Umenyiora. “Rugby involved a lot more running distance. It is stable. The NFL is relentless; explodes. He will probably gain muscle when he starts doing the explosive lifts we do. His body is going to change a lot, I want to accept it. If he can maintain his speed while adding 10, 15, maybe even 20 pounds, I think he’s going to be the ultimate athlete out there.”
Last weekend, Christian Wade warned Rees-Zammit that life in the IPP program can be “lonely” and that things are sure to get “really, really fast”. Christian Scotland-Williamson, another rugby union convert who took an offensive position as a tight end, put on 10lbs of lean muscle in five weeks as an IPP athlete and immersed himself in a 40-page playbook (see Instagram post below). One skill that is largely foreign to rugby players is catching passes that reach over someone’s shoulder.
As Umenyiora explains, the initial part of the IPP program is a 10-week “immersion” training camp in Florida. Big meals, analysis and theory video meetings, training on the playing field, more big meals, weights, stretching, physiotherapy and massage, are dotted over long days. The class of 16 hopefuls will be completing their craft between 6.30am and 7.30pm. If that wasn’t enough, potential kickers like Mallinder and Leader have to deal with a feeling of isolation. One miss is enough to cut a contract.
“They are there but they don’t seem to be part of the team,” Umenyiora said. “You might not see them during the week. They’re off doing their own thing… but when the game’s on the line, you better have a good one. They have to come through. A good one is priceless.”
“They’re usually weird people, kickers. But that comes with the territory, because you’re in the team by yourself. There’s so much riding on your shoulders, so much pressure you have to deal with.”
Tyler Bass, the Buffalo Bills kicker who missed a 44-yard field goal Sunday night as the Kansas City Chiefs advanced past his team to the AFC Championship, has already deactivated his social media accounts amid reports of death threats. Umenyiora points out that the punter position, which would be responsible for combing the ball for field position on fourth down, would have a “much easier path to success” for Mallinder and Leader.
Playing just one snap in the NFL is an almighty feat. To do so through the IPP requires great mental and physical activity, as well as extraordinary adaptability. All of a sudden, praise means little in rugby. But you can’t go wrong with ‘Planet Theory’ on your side.
