Louis Rees-Zammit: Why NFL’s loss is Wales’ gain

After 18 months away, 24-year-old Louis Rees-Zammit has returned to rugby.

Despite signing for the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs through the International Player Pathway Programme (IPPP) and later the Jacksonville Jaguars, Rees-Zammit never participated in a fully-fledged NFL fixture. 

A handful of pre-season outings allowed the starlet to showcase his forward-thinking prowess – but, by July 2025, the Penarth native admitted that he was “wasting” his time on US soil. 

An important question now beckons for Rees-Zammit and Wales: can this highly anticipated reunion between player and sport inject new life into a floundering national team?

Rees-lightning: The journey so far

On paper, Rees-Zammit’s rugby homecoming could not be more timely.

The Premiership Rugby season is on the cusp of rolling into action, while Wales’ Autumn Internationals are set to get underway in November.

But, for the speedy winger, the journey to participate in this year’s campaign began back in 2018 – when the then 18-year-old became Gloucester’s youngest-ever Premiership player. By January 2020, he had earned a call-up to the Welsh national team and debuted in October of the same year. 

In 2021, it was the British and Irish Lions on Rees-Zammit’s hotline – and Warren Gatland handed ‘Rees-lightning’ his first appearance against South Africa’s Lions.

Several successful international and club-level campaigns ensued until a pivotal 2024 decision to break into the NFL. Rees-Zammit impressed during IPPP trials, setting notable times for the 100-metre sprint. 

Four-time Super Bowl winners, the Kansas City Chiefs, were first in line to offer the Welshman an NFL contract. Yet, within half a year of signing with Patrick Mahomes and co., Rees-Zammit moved to Florida’s Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Zero first-team NFL outings and 18 months later, the former rugby sensation opted against spending another season on the US sidelines. 

And, when the Premiership’s Bristol Bears called, the stars aligned for Rees-Zammit, whose homeland sits just tens of miles from Ashton Gate.

Wales need Rees-Zammit now more than ever

Wales have long been considered a rugby powerhouse – and for good reason.

From the country’s spine-tingling national anthem to on-field silverware, the Welsh Rugby Union is among the world’s most revered organisations. Yet, since Rees-Zammit’s temporary retirement from the sport, the nation’s pride has taken a significant hit…not least due to financial issues.

These mishaps were exacerbated by a 643-day winless run, ended by victory in a test match against Japan. 

But a new dawn for Welsh rugby awaits. From September, new head coach Steve Tandy will oversee day-to-day operations – and the 45-year-old has not hidden his excitement at the prospect of Rees-Zammit’s return. 

As reported by ESPN, Tandy explained that Rees-Zammit’s rugby comeback is “great” for all involved. Further, the former Welsh international outlined that the new Bears winger will “make our calls on selection a lot more challenging”, hinting at a potential call-up for the struggling international outfit. 

If Rees-Zammit’s qualities are to improve the national team’s current state of affairs, he must hit the ground running, with competitive fixtures against Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa at the Principality Stadium pencilled in for November – for which fans will find the best betting predictions from FIRST.com.

Victories here could spell a renewed energy in the Wales camp. Rees-Zammit is certainly one of the country’s top talents when on form – and his abilities may provide direction for a side that has lost its way. 

Beyond that, a crucial 2026 Six Nations battle glimmers in the distance. Again, Rees-Zammit — at that point 25 years old and firmly in his prime — will likely play a demonstrably important part in any Welsh triumph. 

How Rees-Zammit could inspire a Welsh revival

Rees-Zammit’s expertise as a winger is far from simple conjecture; he boasts a proven ability to change games quickly. 

Take his debut British & Irish Lions appearance, for example, where he scored a try after just three minutes. A ‘Try of the Championship’ award during his first Six Nations tournament and six tries within four games between February and October 2023 evidenced the up-and-coming player’s threat – an element Wales have long since missed. 

Unparalleled speed represents another weapon within Rees-Zammit’s armoury; demonstrated not only by his IPPP outlay but also by a 24.2mph in-game top speed. 

Equally important is the potential morale boost enjoyed by teammates and fans, with Tandy’s reaction a glimpse into the feeling among those associated with Welsh Rugby. The team endured a torrid run in the wake of his 2024 exit, but Rees-Zammit’s reintegration will go down a treat if he can recapture his pre-NFL form.

Only time will tell whether this remarriage-of-sorts will work out, but the fact of the matter is this: Wales are at rock bottom.

With Rees-Zammit available, the only way is up.