Louis Rees-Zammit was a fast-rising Welsh winger who left rugby union in 2024 to pursue a career in American football with the NFL.
Louis Rees-Zammit was born on 2 February 2001 in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, and played youth rugby in the Cardiff Blues Academy before attending Hartpury College. He signed with Gloucester Rugby, becoming the club's youngest-ever league player at 18 years and 70 days old, and also its youngest European try scorer during his debut Champions Cup campaign. Rees-Zammit made his senior Wales debut in 2020 while still a teenager, and quickly established himself as one of the most electrifying wingers in world rugby, renowned for exceptional pace — he was recorded reaching 24.2 miles per hour during a Test match and has run 100 metres in 10.44 seconds. He was selected for the British and Irish Lions' 2021 tour of South Africa, becoming one of the youngest tourists in the squad. Rees-Zammit earned 32 caps for Wales, scoring prolifically for both club and country, before making the extraordinary decision in January 2024 to leave rugby union entirely and pursue a career in the NFL, joining the league's International Player Pathway programme. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs and later the Jacksonville Jaguars, becoming just the second Welsh-born player in NFL history, though he never featured in a competitive game for either franchise. Rees-Zammit returned to rugby union in 2025, signing with Bristol Bears and rejoining the Wales squad, describing himself as heavier, faster, and more physical following his American football training, and continuing his career as one of the most naturally gifted attacking wingers in the international game.
Prodigious Welsh winger who left rugby to pursue an NFL career
How They Played
Rees-Zammit was renowned for his blistering pace, regularly clocked as one of the fastest players in professional rugby. His finishing ability in the corner and capacity to beat defenders in one-on-one situations made him a constant attacking threat on the wing.
Lasting Impact
His transition from rugby union to the NFL highlighted the growing crossover between sports and demonstrated the transferable athletic skills between rugby and American football.
Career Honours
- Six Nations top try-scorer (joint) 2021
- signed with Kansas City Chiefs via NFL International Player Pathway
| Club | Period | Apps | Tries | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glasgow Warriors | 2023–2024 | 8 | 14 | #11 |
| Kansas City Chiefs (NFL) | 2024–2024 | 155 | 14 | #11 |
| Gloucester Rugby | 2018–2024 | 78 | 32 | — |
 Wales | — | 14 | 5 | — |