New Orleans (AFP) – Australia’s Super Bowl star Jordan Mailata has urged fellow rugby convert Louis Rees-Zammit not to give up his NFL dream despite being without a contract. The Philadelphia Eagles’ Mailata, who will line up in his second Super Bowl when he faces the Kansas City Chiefs at the Superdome on Sunday, is the most successful player ever to move to the NFL from rugby.
Welshman Rees-Zammit attempted to follow in his footsteps last season when he joined the Chiefs but was unable to make the roster and spent the year on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad. The former British Lion’s contract ran out at the end of the season and he faces an uncertain future as a free agent.
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“Everyone is going to face a hurdle at some point. You have to want to jump over that hurdle. I want Lewis to keep going. It’s not over yet, son,” Mailata said at the Eagles’ team hotel on Wednesday. Mailata switched from rugby league to become an impressive offensive tackle for the Eagles, while Rees-Zammit was a wing in rugby union and has tried his luck as a running-back and punt returner before switching to wide-receiver.
The Welshman also received encouragement from Dave Taub, assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for the Chiefs, who worked with Rees-Zammit. Taub said it was clear that the former Gloucester star had the right attitude and impressive athletic skills but needed time to learn many of the specifics of American football.
“I love him. I really like him. He was a hard worker. He didn’t have the base fundamentals that these guys have. They’ve been playing football since fourth grade. He was just starting. The football instincts, that’s where he kind of lacked,” he told AFP.
“Athletic skills? He had them everywhere. Those little small intangibles that he didn’t have, it’s going to take time. I hope he doesn’t give up. I hope he keeps trying to achieve his goal of playing American football,” he added. Taub urged Rees-Zammit to carry on his adjustment to the game before making any decision to return to rugby.
“These guys have been playing for years. Then you get thrown into that. There’s going to be a learning curve for him. Again, I hope he doesn’t give up. I think after two or three years, if it doesn’t click by then, time to go back to rugby.”
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