The truth about Louis Rees-Zammit’s Six Nations switch and what the stats say

The 25-year-old has perhaps struggled to get as involved as he’d like in this year’s tournament

Earlier in the Six Nations, when Wales were continuing on the trend of shipping 50 points a game, a colleague made the point that worrying about Louis Rees-Zammit’s development at full-back probably wasn’t worth the hassle.

Like fretting about the flower pots being broken in a storm was the gist of the analogy. There were, quite obviously, bigger things to concern yourself with.

Now though, you’d hope, the storm has subsided a little.

Two fighting performances against Scotland and Ireland. Wales a little more competitive.

Perhaps the sun isn’t coming out just yet, but – famous last words – maybe the worst has passed.

So let’s check on those flower pots. Because there does seem to be a fair bit of murmuring about Rees-Zammit and that 15 jersey.

It might seem a little strange to be concerned about the impact of a player who has made the second-most metres in this Six Nations.

Only five players have beaten more defenders than him, while only another five players have made more metres after contact.

Just three players – and not a bad trio in Kyle Steyn, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Tommaso Menoncello – have made more metres per carry.

So what’s the problem?

Well, there’s just a nagging sense that Wales aren’t getting the 25-year-old involved as much as they’d like.

There’s no reason to believe Steve Tandy will move Rees-Zammit away from the position heading into the final weekend. Starting there against Italy would be his seventh appearance in the 15 jersey at Test level and just his 17th in senior rugby altogether.

Of course, wing is where Rees-Zammit has been most comfortable in his career.

Having returned from American football at the start of this season, Rees-Zammit was thrown back into the national team at the first opportunity. Naturally, it made sense to choose him in the position most familiar.

Having come off the bench against Argentina, he started on the wing against Japan and New Zealand – scoring in each of those matches.

In the whole of 2025, just eight of the 59 players used by Wales last year made more metres than Rees-Zammit in the Welsh jersey. Just three made more line breaks. There were only three who beat more defenders, too.

But here’s the thing. Rees-Zammit played just 196 minutes in the autumn following his return from the NFL. Those ahead of him in those particular metrics had played between 350 and 800 minutes of Test rugby last year.

Break it down to metres made per carry and Rees-Zammit is suddenly third in 2025 – behind only Keelan Giles and Joe Roberts. Per minute, no making is making more metres than the Bristol Bears man.

It’s the same story with line breaks and defenders beaten.

Yet, having started playing full-back for his club, Wales have followed suit.

And, on the face of it, the statistics suggest it’s going well there. Second-highest metres in the Championship, sixth-most defenders beaten.

So why the sense there’s something not quite working?

Well, defensively, there are issues.

Positionally, Rees-Zammit has been caught out at times – while only Monty Ioane has missed more tackles than the Welshman in this tournament.

But it’s on the other side of the ball where Rees-Zammit is judged and, while those initial numbers are promising, tries are Rees-Zammit’s currency. And he’s yet to score.

In terms of involvements in the game, Rees-Zammit has had to wait fewer minutes in the Six Nations compared to the autumn for a carry.

He’s getting touches. He’s made 43 carries in this tournament. The five men to play on the wing at some point or another – Josh Adams, Ellis Mee, Mason Grady, Blair Murray and Gabriel Hamer-Webb – have a combined total of 42 between them.

Rees-Zammit has made considerably more metres than them too, although full-back can tend to boost those figures.

So plenty of touches – but quality ones? Compared to the autumn, the statistics say otherwise.

In every metric – whether that’s metres made, defenders beaten or linebreaks per carry or minute – his autumn statistics were better.

Back in November, Rees-Zammit was getting the ball on the edges, allowing him to finish off two chances in the red-zone.

He was also key on kick-chase, with one aerial take laying the foundations for Tom Rogers’ first against New Zealand.

And then, when opportunities do come in broken play, he has the out-and-out pace to take advantage – as shown by this break against Japan.

There’s been the odd chance like that in this year’s Six Nations, when the opposition have kicked loose.

But on the most part, teams are pretty disciplined when it comes to kicking to Rees-Zammit. Either they kick to compete or, as England did in Round One, they invited him to run against a connected kick chase – banking on their breakdown threats to spook Wales.

If that has meant opportunities haven’t been forthcoming from kick receipts, then it’s been a fairly similar story in phase play.

Matt Sherratt tends to like a Cameron Winnett-style full-back – someone who can, essentially, act as a third playmaker in the backline.

Taking the ball at second or third receiver can push Rees-Zammit lateral. If the defence read it, as Ireland did here, there’s little he can do.

Perhaps there’s more to come from this attacking shape for Rees-Zammit.

If Wales truly see him as the long-term option at full-back, then they need to persevere with him there. We know what he can do on the wing.

Put him there and you’d likely see improvements.

Fewer touches, perhaps, but maybe more quality ones? That’s the headache.