G2 Skewmond: “My ambition is to become the best jungler in Europe”

Rudy “SkewMond” Semaan got quite noticed this year in the LFL, with BDS Academy. After winning the MVP of the Summer Split, the French league trophy, and the EMEA Masters, the jungler eventually joined the current EMEA emperor: G2 Esports. For his first matches under the Samurai banner – at the Red Bull League Of Its Own – we discussed his ambitions and the offseason.

How does it feel to be making your debut on a huge stage like this – the EMEA Masters final being a bit of a fraud in terms of attendance – and in the midst of the French fans you know so well?

Skewmond: Honestly, it’s an incredible experience. I think there were maybe fifteen thousand people in the arena today. So yeah, frankly, we really heard the crowd between each game and during the games too, they brought so much energy. I think we’ve really got the best crowd in the world, and especially playing under the G2 banner, frankly, it was an incredible experience.

Ethan: I’m not going to say otherwise…You mentioned your premiere with G2. There’s bound to be a lot of expectations with a team like that, since they’re coming off a split where they won everything domestically.

Does that reassure you, because it means you’re surrounded by good players, or does it scare you, given the expectations? Because I think it can go either way, isn’t it?

Skewmond: It’s true that even before I joined G2, when I got the offer to join the team, you look at what they’ve done domestically and when you look at the LEC, they’ve had a flawless year. It puts a bit of pressure on you to think you can do as well as the previous roster and it will not change a thing. Of course, we have the same goals: to win everything in Europe.

But we also want to try and push a bit further in international tournaments, and it’s true that this brings a bit of pressure, but I don’t feel it yet. We’ll see if that changes between now and the start of the LEC.

Ethan: Next year, you’ll be a rookie at G2. Taking these “expectations” into account…

What would a good season at G2 in 2025 look like for you, either individually or collectively?

Skewmond: On an individual level, even though I’m entering the LEC as a rookie, I really do have the ambition and goal of becoming the best jungler in Europe. That obviously means winning the LEC, and why not several times? As a team, I think we’re going to try to achieve the same feats this year, which is to win every LEC split. It’s not going to be easy. There have been a lot of changes in the league, and a lot of teams have been strengthened, but we clearly want to give ourselves the tools to achieve this goal. And above all, we want to give our best in the international tournaments and potentially win one, who knows?

Ethan: I also wanted to mention your offseason, because I think it was a special one. I remember a stream from Jean “Trayton” Medzadourian – a French streamer – during Worlds, in which you said that people don’t know how complicated it is to be in your position.

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Can you take me back to your offseason?

Without saying too much, personally my off-season started quite early. In other words, we finished the EMEA Masters with BDS Academy and just one or two weeks later, quite a few teams reached out to me. Of course, in my situation I had to wait a bit because there was always a chance that G2 would change junglers.

And yeah, when you take the risk of turning down a team that can be a top team and whose project you believe in, it’s very complicated. Honestly, it was very hard to wait. You’re going into a field where you’ve got no reference points and you’re not necessarily sure you’re going to get what you want. I had to turn down a few projects that were very interesting, with very good rosters, but in the end it paid off.

I ended up at G2 and now I’ve got to work hard and try to repeat last year’s LEC results.

Rapid Fire Questions:

1. Nunu or Viego? Nunu.
2.  Oner or Canyon? Oner has been so good lately… I’d say Oner.
3. Win a Worlds final with Nunu or win a Worlds final against T1? Win a Worlds final against T1.
4. KC 2025 or FNC 2025? KC 2025.
5. Inhouse or Soloqueue? Soloqueue.
6. All LEC titles for your rookie year or Worlds semis for your rookie year? Worlds semis.

Check out our interview with Steven “Hans Sama” Liv.