Louis Rees-Zammit burst onto the international rugby stage when he came off the bench for his debut aged just 19 against France.

In only his second game for Wales he scored his first international try against Georgia and went on to score 14 tries in 32 games. 

Related: Wales wing Louis Rees-Zammit joins NFL pathway in bombshell move

With a strike rate of almost a try every two games, why is the talented Rees-Zammit not playing for Wales in the Six Nations? 

Last month, Rees-Zammit sensationally announced that he would be quitting rugby in favour of a career in American football. 

The decision came after he was offered a place on the NFL’s international player pathway and was announced by the winger on social media the day Wales named their squad. 

It was not a case of seeing out his contract or the season, instead he was released by Gloucester and launched straight into training. 

Why is Louis Rees-Zammit not playing?

As a result, Rees-Zammit is not playing in the Six Nations, which he won in 2021 when Wayne Pivac was in charge.

So far this tournament, Josh Adams and Rio Dyer have started on the wing for Wales in Rees-Zammit’s absence – with Cameron Winnett at full-back – but their strength in depth is limited. 

Mason Grady, who replaced Adams against England, only has eight caps and Tom Rogers only has four. 

The former Gloucester man is not the first rugby player to attempt a switch to the NFL, with Christian Wade the most similar example. 

If past switches are anything to go by, this is an incredibly risky move, as Wade, Alex Gray and Christian Scotland-Williamson all tried it only to return to rugby. 

However, Rees-Zammit is clearly confident in his abilities and has set his sights on winning the Super Bowl in the next five years. 

Before he can have a shot at the prestigious title, he must first undergo the ten-week training programme and then impress a team enough for them to pick him up. 

Even though Rees-Zammit is not playing for Wales this year and may well be a success in the NFL, should he want to return to rugby he will likely be welcomed with open arms. 

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