WELSH superstar Louis Rees-Zammit is ready to put rugby back in the spotlight.
The 22-year-old wing is a sensation on the pitch and a marketeer's dream off it.
And after being named in Warren Gatland's Wales squad for the upcoming World Cup, now is his time to seize superstardom on the biggest stage.
"Big matches when the pressure is on, I absolutely love it," he recently told the BBC.
Rees-Zammit began playing rugby aged seven, before beginning to pursue it as a career at 16.
He earned his first professional contract at Gloucester aged just 18, before breaking into the Wales set-up a year later.
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"I kinda pinch myself," Rees-Zammit admits.
It's not hard to see why he has captured the imagination of fans in quite the way he has.
Blessed with heartthrob good lucks and electrifying pace, Rees-Zammit has a profile that can put rugby back on the national agenda.
An incredible late try in a Six Nations win against Scotland in 2021 saw Rees-Zammit's fame skyrocket.
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"After the Scotland try I got 70,000 Instagram followers overnight," he reveals.
Even his mum was inundated with Instagram follow requests from would-be suitors.
"Being Louis Rees-Zammit is quite good at the minute," the cheeky rugby star admits when asked about the attention.
While top rugby players can sometimes find it difficult to break through into the public consciousness, Rees-Zammit has scooped up endorsement deals early on in his career.
He has signed with Adidas and energy drink Savitar – while he also has a deal with BMW.
Driving a Beamer during his recent BBC documentary, Being Louis Rees-Zammit, the down to earth star exclaimed: "Oh my God it's absolutely rapid!"
His dad Joe revealed that Rees-Zammit had received a £90,000 BMW last year, before having it upgraded for a newer model worth £135k.
We all just take the mick out of him, call him St. Tropez away
When not playing rugby or driving his Beamer, Rees-Zammit loves going on holiday.
"We all just take the mick out of him, call him St. Tropez away," says Rees-Zammit's Wales team-mate Dan Biggar.
"They reckon he's gonna start a rugby team in St. Tropez."
The luxurious town on the French Riviera is among Rees-Zammit's favourite destinations.
But in recent years he has also enjoyed trips to Mexico, Monaco, Spain and Antigua.
I definitely want to live abroad when I'm older
"I want to be able to travel the world," admits Rees-Zammit.
"I definitely want to live abroad when I'm older."
While his future may take him overseas, Rees-Zammit remains a family man.
He is extremely close with dad Joe, mum Maxine and brother Taylor.
Asked where he sees himself in ten years, Rees-Zammit said: "It's an interesting question, because I don't know what I'm doing the next year!"
While he enjoys the perks that come with fame, Rees-Zammit is determined to make some noise on the pitch for Wales at the upcoming World Cup – and won't be overawed by the big moments.
"He wants to be the one having the headlines written about him," explains Biggar.
In the build-up to the tournament, Rees-Zammit has been working out in Atlanta, Georgia, alongside famous American trainer Chip Smith.
Rees-Zammit wants to taste World Cup glory with Wales – who kcik off their campaign against Fiji on Sunday – before going on to excel in new challenges on and off the pitch.
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He admits: "Rugby's been amazing to me. But I want more than rugby."
And with his incredible talent, it'd take a brave person to back against him succeeding.
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