The Wales winger has signed for Bristol Bears as he returns from the NFL
Louis Rees-Zammit is back in rugby and has signed for Bristol (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)
Louis Rees-Zammit has revealed the weight he gained to try to make it in the NFL as he prepares for his return to rugby union - although he insists that has not diminished his trademark speed.
The Wales wing was signed by Bristol Bears last week on a one-year deal, with the 24-year-old being unveiled at a press conference earlier this week. Rees-Zammit had announced his return to rugby in July, having spent over a year trying to crack American football.
After a bombshell announcement on the day that Wales were naming their 2024 Six Nations squad, Rees-Zammit spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars as he set about making it Stateside.
The lack of an NFL appearance in his first season wasn't unexpected, with Rees-Zammit spending time on the Jaguars' practice squad to learn his trade.
However, before the start of his second year in Florida, he decided to return to rugby union - with the chance to pull on a Wales jersey once again this November now on the horizon.
Naturally, Rees-Zammit's attention is now turning to adapting back to life in rugby - having had to gain weight during his time in American football.
"It is hard to say because it is a lot less conditioning," said Rees-Zammit.
"I got up to like 105 kilos and my playing weight in rugby was probably about 96.
"Over the last couple of months I have really got myself back to about 100kg and now I am actually doing rugby training, I think I can get straight back down to that 96-98 kilo range and that is probably perfect for me."
Despite being heavier while in the NFL, Rees-Zammit insists it didn't affect his pace - highlighting the speeds he was still clocking in America.
"It didn’t actually," he said when asked if the weight gain had affected his speed.
"On stats it didn’t, I was still hitting 23mph at 105 kilos so it was just the amount of conditioning, they don’t do that much because plays last four to six seconds in the NFL so it is not something they need to have.
"It is all about repeated sprints for the wide receivers.
"Playing rugby it is different, you have got to be very fit because the ball in play, if that gets high you are going to be running around a lot.
"Weight never affected my speed, it is just that body-wise I was quite skinny playing rugby, in my upper body, and that is going to help me with collisions coming back."