Gloucester Rugby, who qualified for the EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 last weekend, have released star winger Louis Rees-Zammit immediately to allow him to attempt his lifelong ambition of playing in the National Football League (NFL).
The 22-year-old Welsh international, who has scored nine tries in 15 EPCR appearances for the Gallagher Premiership club, has accepted a request to join the NFL International Player Pathway, which gives top sportsmen from around the world the chance to win a place on an NFL roster.
Rees-Zammit said: “I will always be very proud of my time at Kingsholm and want to particularly thank the incredible fans who make the club so special. Also, to my teammates, to George Skivington and Alex Brown, thank you for giving me such special memories and for supporting this next stage of my career.
“I have had the incredible honour of playing rugby for my country, which, as a proud Welshman, I’ve never taken for granted. However, I believe that this is the right time for me to realise another professional goal of playing American football in the US. Those opportunities don’t come around very often.”
Gloucester Rugby CEO Alex Brown said the club had agreed to Rees-Zammit's request because they understood “the size of the opportunity” and “his lifelong ambition” to play in the NFL.
"Whilst we are naturally sad to see him leave, ultimately, we are not able to dissuade him from taking an opportunity of this magnitude with the NFL,” Brown added.
“We remain very proud of the role Gloucester Rugby has played in helping to develop him into the world-class player he has become, and we wish him the very best in the US. He will always be welcome at Kingsholm.”
While Gloucester are attempting to seal a home tie in the Round of 16 in Friday’s Round 4 meeting with Castres Olympique, Rees-Zammit will be on his way to Florida.