Louis Rees-Zammit looks destined for a decorated rugby career after a breakout year for club and country, leaving England talisman Jonny May under no illusions as to how high he could soar.
The Gloucester team-mates returned to Kingsholm for pre-season following very different summers, where Rees-Zammit was called up for the British and Irish Lions while May was not.
But the England speedster holds no resentment towards the Welsh whiz for beating him to a spot in Warren Gatland ’s side.
More to the point, May holds his club comrade in the highest esteem and described Rees-Zammit as “one of the most naturally talented players” he’s witnessed.
“What a season he had,” the 31-year-old said of his blossoming team-mate.
“To be fair to Louis, in terms of what I see with where he is at, he is one of the most naturally talented players I have ever come across.
"He is as fast as anybody I have seen and he is natural on the ball as well. It all just comes very easily to him.
"Really, in terms of what’s in store for his career, the world is at his feet. I am confident he is going to go on to achieve great things.”
It was only in October 2020 that Rees-Zammit made his debut for Wales, having impressed after breaking into Gloucester’s senior set-up during the 2019/20 season.
Do you think Louis Rees-Zammit will out-score Jonny May at Gloucester this season? Let us know in the comments section.
He went on to score four tries in five games at the 2021 Six Nations and was subsequently called up for the Lions, becoming the touring squad’s youngest member since David Hewitt in 1959.
Rees-Zammit, 20, failed to make a Test appearance as the team succumbed 2-1 to hosts South Africa, but it seems inevitable he’ll get more chances in the years to come.
May, on the other hand, looks as though he could have missed his last realistic opportunity to wear a Lions jersey given he’ll be 35 when the squad travels to Australia in 2025.
The Wiltshire native has scored 33 tries in 66 appearances for his country, starting in all but one of those international appearances.
That leaves May needing only 16 tries to tie level with England’s all-time record try-scorer, Rory Underwood, who crossed over 49 times across his 85 caps.
Rees-Zammit’s record of five scores in nine outings for his country is similarly impressive, and fans might even expect his Wales record to improve with experience.
The prospect will have more accolades in sight after he was named Gloucester’s Young Player of the Year for the 2020/21 season, where he scored six tries in 11 games overall.
May is no slouch off the line himself and is largely regarded as one of rugby’s quickest players, but even he gets taken aback by the pace of his international enemy.
Gloucester open their Premiership season away to Northampton Saints on Saturday, September 18, although Rees-Zammit may not be involved following Lions duty.
