Louis Rees-Zammit's searing pace has been a talking point after his lightning start to the season, and now the secrets behind his speed have emerged. The Bristol Bears wing has crossed for four tries in three matches this campaign, looking back to his best on the wing after a mixed return from the NFL last year.
The 25-year-old, who toured with the Lions in 2021, struggled to make an impression at full-back last term, but a switch back to the wing has reignited his form. A video released by the Gallagher Premiership last week showed Rees-Zammit getting within touching distance of Wales' fastest man Jeremiah Azu in a 40-metre sprint.
Close to Wales' fastest man
Azu, the 2025 world indoor 60m champion, clocked 4.54 seconds, while Rees-Zammit was just 0.05 seconds adrift with a time of 4.59 seconds. Now, speaking to the Daily Mail, Rees-Zammit has revealed he wears specially designed grip socks, but with a twist—they are toe socks, with each toe encased individually like a glove.
"I don't know if they make me faster, but I feel a bit more control on my feet," Rees-Zammit said. "I feel being able to spread my toes within my boot helps me change direction and do what I do on the field. It's a bit of a weird one to see, I can imagine!"
Sport scientist hails 'freak' acceleration
Bristol's sport scientist, Jake Gillies, told the Mail that Rees-Zammit was "definitely the fastest" player he's worked with "by some distance", adding that Rees-Zammit was clocked at running at 10.77 metres-per-second in pre-season—just over 24mph. Gillies believes he could reach 11 metres-per-second if given 80 metres of space.
"When everyone thinks about Louis, they think about his peak speed and rightly so because he's a freak," Gillies said. "But what impresses me most about him is how quickly he gets to that peak. His acceleration from a standing start is silly. He got to 10.77 metres per second in just over 4.5 seconds in training."
Strength and momentum in contact
Gillies also highlighted Rees-Zammit's strength, noting he is capable of squatting 200kg—the same as some of the Bristol forwards—making him one of the club's strongest backs. "But he's also strong in contact because the faster you are going into it, the harder you are to stop. At his weight, the momentum he carries into every contact, if he's running at full speed, is significant. He's a really unique player," Gillies added.
Gillies described Rees-Zammit's running style as "so smooth", saying "it's just poetry". The Wales wing's combination of pace, acceleration, and strength has made him a formidable force on the wing once again this season.
