Gloucester Rugby wing Louis Rees-Zammit crowned an “unbelievable month” by being named Gallagher Premiership Rugby Player of the Month for December 2019.
Louis Rees-Zammit named December Player of the Month
The flying teenager made a major breakthrough in December, scoring five tries, which included a new record when he became the youngest player to score a hat-trick in a Premiership Rugby match.
Rees-Zammit’s performances in December were praised by Ugo Monye, the former England and Lions wing who is now a BT Sport pundit, covering Gallagher Premiership Rugby, and Gallagher brand ambassador.
Praise from former winger Ugo Monye
Monye said: “It’s been an unbelievable month for Louis. Normally the competition is pretty tight when it comes to Gallagher Premiership Rugby Player of the Month but he was head and shoulders above any other player in December.
“In a league which is so tight, and where defences are often on top, you’re looking for a spark and he has been that. He’s turning the momentum in matches with his try-scoring ability, his searing pace is something that stands out, but he’s got really nice deft touches as well.”
Monye added: “You often look to your senior players for those contributions to change momentum but Louis is doing it at 18. It’s a winger’s job to score tries and he’s clearly doing that but to change the course of a match, that takes something really special, and he’s quite clearly got a very special talent.
“If he has the hunger to learn, and speaking to Gloucester Rugby players he’s a very coachable player, there’s no reason as to why his development won’t continue in a similar trajectory to what it is currently.
“He already looks ready-made at the age of 18 and I think he is showing all the hallmarks of what could be a promising career, not just at Gallagher Premiership Rugby level but potentially at international as well.”
Gallagher Premiership Rugby Player of the Month award
Rees-Zammit was judged by a panel of experts as the player who made the biggest impact in Gallagher Premiership Rugby over the month of December 2019.
He was involved in a three-way battle to win the award eventually beating brothers Joe and Sam Simmonds who’d enjoyed stunning months for the Exeter Chiefs.
Rees-Zammit was voted for by a panel of media professionals based on his performances in December, alongside a public poll which drew more than 4,000 votes on the Premiership Rugby app.
The judges were: Nick Mullins (BT Sport), Alastair Eykyn (BT Sport), Mick Cleary (The Daily Telegraph), Sarah Mockford (Rugby World), Jonny Fordham (The Sun), Jill Douglas (Broadcaster) Robert Kitson (The Guardian), Chris Jones (BBC 5 Live), David Rogers (Getty Images) and Tom Hamilton (ESPN). The panel was chaired by Paul Morgan, Premiership Rugby’s Communications Director.
Main image credit: Gallagher Premiership Rugby player of the month is Gloucester Rugby’s Louis Rees-Zammit who is presented his Gallagher Player of the Month Trophy by Antony Carlile, Account Director at Gallagher. – PHOTO: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK/Gallagher
