Louis Rees-Zammit set for Rugby Union comeback in Bristol Bears colours

Louis Rees-Zammit will return to rugby union for the 2025-26 season after signing with Bristol Bears, the club confirmed on Thursday. The Welsh speedster’s comeback follows an 18-month stint in American football.

The 24-year-old joined the Kansas City Chiefs in March 2024 after impressing scouts at the NFL International Player Pathway. While the four-time Super Bowl champions omitted him from their 2024 roster, he later signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars - first on the practice squad in August, then on the active roster in February - before announcing his decision to return to rugby union last month.



Explaining his choice, Rees-Zammit said, "Bristol Bears was the obvious choice for me. The style of rugby they play - all about entertaining the fans and growing the game - aligns perfectly with how I want to play. I want to get fans out of their seats, create exciting moments and help people fall in love with the game."


He added that he is eager to work with his new teammates, Director of Rugby Pat Lam, and the backroom staff to bring success to the club.

Rees-Zammit debuted for Wales in 2020 and played a key role in their 2021 Six Nations Championship triumph. Across his international career, he has earned 32 caps and scored 14 tries, with his most recent appearance coming at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, where Wales fell to Argentina in the quarter-finals.

Pat Lam praised the signing, calling Rees-Zammit a 'world-class player' with the drive to become one of the best back-three players in the world, noting that his ambitions align perfectly with the Bears’ own.