Louis Rees-Zammit’s NFL journey has taken a significant step forward as the Jacksonville Jaguars announced the signing of the former Welsh rugby international to their active roster for the 2025 season.

We have signed WR Louis Rees-Zammit to the active roster. #DUUUVAL

👉 read more https://t.co/iAIbjkEfRU pic.twitter.com/UTXvNzhOjc

— Jaguars UK and IE (@JaguarsUKandIE) February 17, 2025

The 23-year-old from Penarth, Wales, who shocked the rugby world by leaving the sport on the eve of the 2024 Six Nations to pursue an NFL career, has earned this promotion after spending the 2024 season on the Jaguars’ practice squad. Under NFL rules specific to the International Player Programme, Rees-Zammit can maintain his practice squad eligibility while also being eligible for two promotions to the active roster during the season without the Jaguars losing one of their 53 regular spots.

“I’m excited to extend my stay in Jacksonville by signing for another year,” Rees-Zammit said. “While I know it was a tough season on the field for the team, I think I made some great progress with my own game, and I’m looking forward to continuing the hard work and advancing my skills even more, and believe that Jacksonville is the place for me to do that.”

The former Gloucester Rugby star, who scored 14 tries in 32 appearances for Wales with his last coming in the 2023 World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina, has undergone a positional evolution since entering the NFL. After initially trialing as a running back with the Kansas City Chiefs during his first NFL experience, Rees-Zammit has now been officially listed as a wide receiver by the Jaguars, suggesting a refined focus for his explosive pace and athletic abilities.

His journey to this point hasn’t been straightforward. After joining the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) Program – a 10-week crash course designed to teach and assess aspiring players – Rees-Zammit initially signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in March 2024. He featured in three pre-season games before being waived by the defending Super Bowl champions during training camp, leading to his move to Jacksonville’s practice squad in August.

The Jaguars’ decision to sign him to the active roster indicates their belief in his development potential. While this signing guarantees him a place on the 90-man pre-season roster, Rees-Zammit will need to continue his rapid development to survive the cuts that will reduce the squad to 53 players before the regular season begins in September.

“The future looks bright with the Jaguars with the appointment of Coach Coen and the rest of the staff,” Rees-Zammit added, “and honestly, I can’t wait to get back to it.”

For rugby fans who hoped the young star might return to the sport where he became the youngest player since 1959 to be selected for the British & Irish Lions, this move appears to end such speculation. Instead, it marks another chapter in one of sport’s most intriguing code-switching attempts, as Rees-Zammit continues his bid to transform from rugby prodigy to NFL wide receiver.

British and Irish Lions pair Josh Adams and Liam Williams return to the Wales team for Friday’s Six Nations opener against France in Paris, as head coach Warren Gatland looks to end a record run of 12 consecutive Test defeats.

🚨 𝗧î𝗺 𝗖𝘆𝗺𝗿𝘂 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Here is your Wales 2️⃣3️⃣ for our @SixNationsRugby opener 🆚 @FranceRugby on Friday night at the Stade de France, 20:15 KO! 🔥👇#GuinnessM6N | #FRAvWAL

— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@WelshRugbyUnion) January 29, 2025

Wing Adams makes his first Wales appearance since the 2024 Six Nations, while fullback Williams returns to the international fold after missing last year’s championship during a stint in Japanese rugby. The experienced duo, who boast 151 caps between them, add significant firepower to a backline that struggled throughout 2024, with Wales conceding 50 tries while scoring just 30 during their difficult campaign.

In another key return, Exeter Chiefs lock Dafydd Jenkins is back in the second row after nearly 11 months out following knee and shoulder operations. Jenkins, who captained Wales during the 2024 Six Nations at just 21 years old, partners Will Rowlands in the engine room, with the Racing 92 forward’s experience of French rugby potentially proving valuable at the Stade de France.

The most notable selection comes in the front row, where Cardiff hooker Evan Lloyd and former England prop Henry Thomas are handed their first Wales starts in what promises to be a stern examination against a powerful French pack. Lloyd, 23, gets the nod ahead of the more experienced Elliot Dee, with Gatland backing the physical hooker despite a crucial lineout error during last summer’s narrow defeat to Australia.

“I just think Evan is definitely a player of the future,” said Gatland. “He’s a big man. We know how good he is around the field. Yes, he’s got some learning to do from his set-piece stuff, but we’ve got a couple of players that have a lot of experience in France in terms of Henry Thomas and Will Rowlands around them.”

Thomas, 33, makes his full Wales debut having previously won seven caps for England between 2013-14. The Scarlets tighthead’s knowledge of French rugby, gained during spells with Montpellier and Castres, could prove invaluable against a formidable French scrum.

There’s no place in the matchday 23 for veteran number eight Taulupe Faletau, who ruled himself out on Tuesday due to an ongoing knee issue. The 104-times capped forward hasn’t played Test rugby since breaking his arm against Georgia at the 2023 World Cup, before suffering a subsequent shoulder fracture upon his return to club rugby with Cardiff. Aaron Wainwright continues at number eight, with captain Jac Morgan and James Botham completing the back row.

In the backline, Ben Thomas starts at fly-half having played primarily at inside center during the autumn internationals. Gatland has opted for experience in midfield, where Nick Tompkins returns to partner Owen Watkin. The pair have 80 caps between them but have only started together four times previously. Scarlets wing Tom Rogers, who impressed during the autumn series, completes the back three alongside Adams and Williams.

The team selection shows a clear emphasis on experience, with the starting XV containing 487 caps – more than double the 205 caps in the side that lost 45-12 to South Africa in their last outing. However, this is still only half the experience of the Wales team that last visited Paris two years ago, which boasted nearly 1,000 caps.

“We’ve spoken about the fact that ironically, there is probably more pressure and expectation on them [France],” Gatland added. “There is expectation from their fans. They expect their team to throw the ball around and score tries. From experience and my point of view, teams can try a bit too much early on and throw the ball around and that gives you opportunities.”

The replacements bench includes uncapped Ospreys fly-half Dan Edwards, who has earned praise for his development at regional level. Prop Nicky Smith is in line to win his 50th cap if called upon, while Freddie Thomas and Blair Murray could make their Six Nations debuts having earned their first caps during the autumn series.

Wales will need to overturn recent history to start their campaign with a victory, having lost their last six matches against France. Their last win in Paris came in 2019, during a period where they won eight out of nine meetings with Les Bleus between 2012 and 2019.

Wales team to play France (Friday, 20:15 GMT):

Liam Williams (92 caps), 14. Tom Rogers (5), 13. Nick Tompkins (38), 12. Owen Watkin (42), 11. Josh Adams (59), 10. Ben Thomas (7), 9. Tomos Williams (59); 1. Gareth Thomas (35), 2. Evan Lloyd (5), 3. Henry Thomas (4), 4. Will Rowlands (36), 5. Dafydd Jenkins (19), 6. James Botham (16), 7. Jac Morgan (capt, 18), 8. Aaron Wainwright (52).

Replacements: 16. Elliot Dee (51), 17. Nicky Smith (49), 18. Keiron Assiratti (10), 19. Freddie Thomas (1), 20. Tommy Reffell (23), 21. Rhodri Williams (5), 22. Dan Edwards (uncapped), 23. Blair Murray (3).

Warren Gatland will remain as Wales head coach for the 2025 Six Nations despite the team’s recent struggles, including a record 12 consecutive Test match defeats. However, Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chief executive Abi Tierney has warned that Gatland’s position was “on the line” during her review of the national squad’s performances. Tierney presented the findings of her meticulous and far-reaching review to the WRU Board on Tuesday, 17th December.

🚨 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 | Warren Gatland has been challenged to lead Wales to success in the 2025 Guinness Six Nations, after CEO Abi Tierney’s review into national squad performances was completed.

While Nigel Walker has resigned from his position as Executive Director of Rugby… pic.twitter.com/lqp1Ug7Ioo

— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@WelshRugbyUnion) December 20, 2024

She emphasized that a further assessment of performances will follow the 2025 championship, applying the same level of scrutiny. Key recommendations from the report will be implemented to give the Wales national squad the best opportunity to improve their performances and results in the upcoming tournament. Changes planned before the 2025 Six Nations include improving mentoring support for players, employing new mental skills resources, and evolving the terms of reference and make-up of the new high-performance panel.

“I have had a number of very honest conversations with Warren and I will make no secret of the fact that his position was on the line as we undertook our review,” said Tierney. “Further than that, like any head coach in any sport, he knows the security of his position is directly related to the performances of the team and that this is a situation that will continue to intensify.”

The panel will also be an integral part of long-term changes to the high-performance structure at the WRU, benefiting both the men’s and women’s games. Nigel Walker, the WRU’s executive director of rugby, has resigned from his position. Huw Bevan, currently interim head of performance, and community director Geraint John will assume Walker’s executive duties in the short term, with a new Director of Professional Rugby to be recruited in the New Year.

Tierney admitted that the WRU Board seriously considered more wholesale immediate change but ultimately concluded that challenging their experienced head coach to change Wales’ fortunes on the pitch was the best approach at this time. She emphasized that Gatland’s position is directly related to the team’s performances and that this situation will continue to intensify.

Gatland, who enjoyed a successful 12-year spell as Wales coach before returning in December 2022, has acknowledged the pressures of international rugby and welcomes the scrutiny and challenge. “I am pleased to have the support of Abi and the Board to take the squad into the Six Nations. This group of players has a huge amount of potential and we will be working incredibly hard together to turnaround our fortunes on the pitch,” said Gatland. “We know, more than ever, we will be judged on competitiveness, on success and on winning during the 2025 campaign.”