Louis Rees-Zammit says he will play primarily as a winger for Bristol Bears and Wales this season, while remaining available to cover full-back when needed. The 25-year-old spent much of last season at full-back after returning from his spell in American football, but he now wants to re-establish himself as a wing finisher.
“I’m going to be a winger but with the ability to play full-back,” Rees-Zammit said. The confirmation ends uncertainty over where Bristol boss Pat Lam and Wales head coach Steve Tandy will primarily deploy him after a season of rotation between the two positions.
Inverted Pyramid Lead Paragraph: Louis Rees-Zammit Targets Wing Switch for Bristol and Wales
Rees-Zammit returned to rugby union last summer after nearly two years pursuing an NFL career. Since then, Lam and Tandy have consistently picked him at full-back from autumn onwards, a shift that reshaped his role at both club and country.
Across last season he made 22 starts for Bristol and Wales combined, with 10 of those at wing and 12 at full-back. He scored nine tries in total, seven for Bristol and two for Wales, but only one of those came during 2026. Six of the nine were scored from the wing, underlining why he now wants to spend more time there.
Primary Source Attribution & Official Details: Rees-Zammit Explains Positional Preference After Transition Season
Rees-Zammit has spoken candidly about adapting to a position he had barely played before his switch to American football. “I played three-quarters of the season at full-back which I’d never really done before without playing for two years,” he said.
He described the adjustment as a steep learning curve, but one softened by his background on the wing. “It was hard to settle in but I know that I’ve played wing for however many years previous, so that’s going to help me keep my feet on the ground,” he said.
Rees-Zammit was clear about what draws him back to the touchline. “I still enjoyed it, I just feel like at 15 you’re not as much of a finisher than you are on the wing and that’s what I like to be known as,” he said. He added: “Previously I was scoring a lot of tries and I was a good finisher – I’d like to be on the end of that.”
Squad Impact & Tactical Context: Tactical Impact on Bristol Bears and Wales Following Tries Shortfall
Bristol finished sixth in the Premiership last season, missing the play-offs by nine points despite winning 11 matches. Rees-Zammit reflected on that outcome bluntly. “Last year ultimately we fell short of our goal,” he said.
He pointed to a lack of clinical finishing as the difference between Bristol and the sides above them in the table. “Although we won the same amount as [third] place, we didn’t score enough tries, we didn’t have enough bonus points and that’s something we’re going to try and work on and try and fix for this season,” he said.
Those comments frame his positional shift as part of a wider push to sharpen Bristol’s attacking output. Rees-Zammit maintains that wing is now his primary target position, though he retains the capability to cover full-back if required by Lam or Tandy. Supporters looking for the wider context around Bristol’s squad can find our recent domestic rugby updates.
What Happens Next / Upcoming Timeline: Pre-Season Progress and Bristol’s Campaign Outlook
Rees-Zammit missed Bristol’s initial pre-season block after featuring for Wales in July’s Nations’ Championship fixtures. That has left him working to catch up on conditioning and combinations alongside his Bristol teammates before the Premiership campaign gets underway.
No club or international line-up has been confirmed for Rees-Zammit’s return to action, and neither Lam nor Tandy has guaranteed him a fixed starting berth on the wing. His comments instead set out his own ambition heading into the new season, with Bristol aiming to convert last year’s near-miss into genuine play-off contention. Readers can follow further developments in our latest rugby union roundup, while the full BBC Sport interview carries Rees-Zammit’s complete remarks.
