Ahead of Wales' highly anticipated Six Nations clash against Italy in Cardiff, former Welsh flyer Louis Rees-Zammit is gearing up for a momentous occasion as he transitions from rugby union to a potential career in the National Football League (NFL). The 23-year-old athlete revealed in January that he is set to join the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) program, which offers elite athletes worldwide the opportunity to secure a spot on an NFL roster and enhance the league's international representation.

This announcement caught rugby union enthusiasts off guard as it came on the brink of this year's Six Nations tournament, where Rees-Zammit was considered a standout player in Wales' youthful squad.

Since then, Rees-Zammit has been rigorously training in Florida as part of an extensive 10-week preparation camp leading up to a critical day on Wednesday, March 20, when he and other contenders will showcase their skills in front of NFL scouts with hopes of earning a place on a practice squad. While Rees-Zammit acknowledges the possibility of returning to the 15-a-side rugby code, he remains optimistic about fulfilling his dream of becoming a professional NFL player.

"It could happen sooner than expected that I go back to rugby, but I firmly believe I can succeed in this endeavor," he expressed to Sky Sports. "If I had any doubts about my ability to do this, I wouldn't be here. It's as simple as that."

Rees-Zammit was an integral player for Wales during the previous Rugby World Cup in France, eventually deciding to take a break from rugby after representing his country 31 times and scoring 14 tries at the Test level.

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