Ex-Northampton Saints player Harry Mallinder has joined Louis Rees-Zammit in chasing the dream of playing in the NFL after enlisting in their international player pathway (IPP).
Mallinder, 27, played for Northampton from 2013 through to 2021 and then journeyed to Japan where he was at the Black Rams Tokyo.
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The versatile back, who could play at fly-half, inside centre and fullback, played age-grade rugby for England and toured with the national side in 2017 to Argentina but he’ll now turn his attention to NFL.
Mallinder is entering the pathway as a kicker and punter, while Rees-Zammit is trying for running back and wide receiver.
The news of Mallinder’s inclusion among the 16 hopefuls making up this year’s IPP comes after Wales star Rees-Zammit announced he was quitting rugby to enlist in the pathway. Rees-Zammit, 22, was one of rugby’s brightest stars and played in the recent World Cup for Wales, but he made the shock announcement on Tuesday just an hour or so before he was set to be named by Wales in their Six Nations squad.
Mallinder and Rees-Zammit are the latest rugby players to try and crack the NFL. Christian Wade, Alex Gray and Christian Scotland-Williamson have all attempted it in previous years.
The latest IPP features 11 athletes and five specialists from eight different nations. They come from different sports including rugby, basketball, athletics, Gaelic football and Australian rules football.
They’re looking to follow in the footsteps of IPP alumni Jordan Mailata, Jakob Johnson, Efe Obada, Sammis Reyes and David Bada who have made active rosters with the Philadelphia Eagles, Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders.
“The IPP class of 2024 presents a group of incredibly talented athletes from diverse sporting backgrounds and nations across the globe,” Osi Umenyiora, who is leading the NFL’s Africa program, said.
“Our international football development programs at the NFL offer life-changing opportunities for talent, and will only continue to impact the league this season and in the seasons ahead. This is only the beginning for these players, and we look forward to sharing their stories and the game of football with the world.”