A new NFL star is born.
In a sensational development, Wales rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit has signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, the back-to-back Super Bowl champions who feature quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the poster boy of the NFL.
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Travis Kelce, the boyfriend of pop music superstar Taylor Swift, is also on the Chiefs' squad, ensuring the Super Bowl winners are constantly in the headlines.
Rees-Zammit’s decision to leave English rugby union side Gloucester in January and quit his international career with Wales to join the NFL International Player Programme rocked the sport and was seen as a massive gamble.
England wing Christian Wade won a place on the Buffalo Bills practice squad and scored a touchdown in a preseason fixture but failed to clinch a starting place and, ironically, will be arriving at Gloucester from French club Racing 92 to replace Rees-Zammit next season.
Here is everything you need to know about the NFL’s newest British import.
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Louis Rees-Zammit
Age: 23
Height: 6ft 3 (1.91m)
Weight: 94kg (209 lbs)
Nickname: Louis Rees-Lightning
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Why has he moved to the NFL?
His father Joseph played amateur American Football in Wales and Rees-Zammit has maintained a love for the sport.
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A huge Cristiano Ronaldo fan, Rees-Zammit honoured his idol with his iconic ‘Siu’ celebration to celebrate a try against Portugal at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
He played 32 times for Wales, scoring 14 tries, including four in five matches in his debut Six Nations tournament in 2021.
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He grabbed the headlines at last year’s Rugby World Cup, scoring five tries in as many matches.
How fast is he?
In 2021 he scored a sensationally ‘impossible’ try against Fiji, clocking in at 24.2 mph.
Last year, Rees-Zammit ran the 100m in 10.44 seconds.
Only 36 professional British male sprinters ran quicker in competition in 2023.
During his NFL trial day, Rees-Zammit posted a 4.43 in his 40-yard dash.
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What are his strengths?
His pace and leg strength have always marked him out as a special talent.
Uniquely, Rees-Zammit has been able to maintain exceptional speed at 96kg.
Rees-Zammit is very versatile, starting for Wales and Gloucester at both wing and full back.
His speed meant he could beat a defence simply by kicking the ball ahead and winning the race to reach it and score a try.
This was one of his major weapons in rugby union.
What are his weaknesses?
He was dropped during his short Wales career with the coaches preferring a more physical wing to chase high kicks and clear out rucks in the wide channels.
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His work rate was criticised at times and he appeared to drift out of games for Gloucester and Wales rather than looking for work.
He received one-to-one coaching from Wales skills coach Neil Jenkins to improve his defence, security under the high ball, and physicality at the break down.
Did you know?
- Rees-Zammit is youngest player to play in the Premiership for Gloucester.
- He is the youngest ever player to score a Premiership hat-trick of tries.
- In 77 appearances for Gloucester he scored 42 tries.
- He was the youngest player on the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa.
- After scoring the winning try for Wales against Scotland in 2021, he gained 70,000 Instagram followers.
- When he dated Paul Scholes’ daughter, the Manchester United legend tried to convince him to play rugby for England.
- He was dating influencer and YouTuber Saffron Barker, who has more than 6m followers on social media, but the pair recently split.
- At 12, he was told he wasn’t good enough to be a professional rugby player and at 16 he was told he would never win a Wales cap.
- He is an Ambassador for the Sporting Minds charity.
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Reaction to the move
Former Wales and British & Irish Lions legend Shane Williams told BBC Radio Wales: “It’s a huge loss to Welsh rugby. I’m sure Gloucester are absolutely devastated.
“We’re talking about an incredible rugby union athlete. He is an athlete, he’s quick in a straight line, he’s got good feet, [Rees-Zammit will] probably make a great wide receiver.”
Double World Cup winning Springbok fly half Handre Pollard believes the move will inspire other rugby players to take a shot at the NFL.
He explained to RugbyPass: “For a guy like [Rees-Zammit] to leave, it’s big. I think it’s going to set off a chain reaction.”
Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde has backed Rees-Zammit to make it in the NFL.
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Durde told Sky Sports News: “I definitely think he's got a chance.
"It's a complicated sport, but once he simplifies it, that's when his athletic talents will take over and you'll see the player he can possibly become."