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Louis Rees-Zammit has announced that he will return to rugby 18 months after a shock decision to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL.
The 24-year-old made a stunning decision on the eve of the 2024 Six Nations to leave his boyhood sport behind and move to America via the NFL’s International Player Pathway.
Rees-Zammit subsequently spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars but did not appear in a regular season game for either side, and a month before the new campaign begins, he has left the Jaguars.
A return to rugby now beckons for a player who had established himself as one of the brightest Welsh prospects before leaving the sport.
“I’ve got an exciting announcement to make,” Rees-Zammit said on social media. “I’ve decided to leave the NFL and return to rugby.
“It’s been a great experience but it’s time to come home. I’ve decided that this is the best time to make this decision to give myself time to get everything in place for next season.
There’s only one thing that’s on my mind, that’s coming back to rugby and doing what I do best. I can’t explain how excited I am. There’ll be more news to come soon but for now, see you soon rugby fans.”
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Louis Rees-Zammit failed to crack the Kansas City Chiefs roster but featured in preseason (AP)
Rees-Zammit made a rapid impression after becoming Gloucester’s youngest ever Premiership player as an 18-year-old in 2018, and a Wales debut soon followed in 2020.
A standout Six Nations in 2021 earned the youngster a trip with the British and Irish Lions to South Africa later that year, though he did not feature on the wing in the Tests against the Springboks.
His international career was put on pause after the 2023 Rugby World Cup with a tally of 14 tries in 32 Tests, but Rees-Zammit could now be back to bolster the Welsh squad for the November internationals.
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Louis Rees-Zammit scored five tries for Wales during the 2023 Rugby World Cup (PA Wire)
Wales will begin life under a new head coach in Steve Tandy having finally snapped their long losing run with a victory in Japan.