2026: The 10 fastest rugby players in the world right now – ranked
Rugby NewsMonday, 07 September 2026 at 21:31
Speed remains one of the most devastating weapons in international rugby, with the quickest players in the game capable of turning a half-gap into a try in a matter of seconds.
And the debate over who is currently the fastest has been reignited by Wales speedster Louis Rees-Zammit.
The electric winger recently revealed that he clocked a staggering 11.2 metres per second against Fiji in July – equivalent to around 40.3km/h or 25mph.
Rees-Zammit has even thrown down the gauntlet to France flyer Louis Bielle-Biarrey, admitting he would love to settle the argument with a straight race.
So, who really is the quickest?
We've ranked the 10 fastest players currently playing international rugby, taking into account reported speed data, acceleration and what we've seen them produce on the pitch.
10. Darcy Graham – Scotland
He might be one of the smaller wingers in international rugby, but catching Darcy Graham in open space is another matter entirely.
The Scotland star possesses electric acceleration and brilliant footwork, allowing him to exploit even the smallest gap.
Graham's low centre of gravity also means he can change direction at pace without losing the explosive speed that has made him such a prolific finisher.
9. Ange Capuozzo – Italy
Italy have produced few players as exciting in broken play as Ange Capuozzo.
The full-back possesses blistering acceleration and has repeatedly shown his ability to turn seemingly harmless possession into a huge attacking opportunity.
His famous break to create Edoardo Padovani's winning try against Wales in 2022 remains the perfect example, helping Italy secure their first Six Nations victory since 2015.
Give Capuozzo space and you're in trouble.
8. Grant Williams – South Africa
Perhaps the surprise inclusion for some.
Williams' speed is one of the reasons he offers the Springboks something completely different at scrum-half, while he has also been used on the wing during his international career.
His acceleration from the base of a ruck is particularly impressive.
In a Springbok squad absolutely loaded with athletes, Williams remains one of the quickest.
7. Will Jordan – New Zealand
Will Jordan doesn't always look like he's moving particularly quickly.
Then you notice everyone chasing him is getting further away.
The All Blacks star combines outstanding anticipation with genuine top-end pace, which has helped him establish himself as one of international rugby's most devastating try-scorers.
Jordan is particularly dangerous on turnover ball, when his ability to identify space and accelerate into it can be devastating.
6. Kurt-Lee Arendse – South Africa
Another member of Rassie Erasmus' ridiculously quick Springbok backline.
Arendse has become one of South Africa's most dangerous attacking weapons, combining exceptional acceleration with footwork that makes him incredibly difficult to tackle one-on-one.
The Bulls flyer doesn't need much space.
Give him a metre and he can be gone.
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5. Henry Arundell – England
England have very few players capable of matching Henry Arundell for outright pace.
The winger burst onto the scene with a series of spectacular long-range tries and has possessed elite acceleration since his breakthrough as a teenager.
Arundell's combination of power and speed is particularly dangerous.
He doesn't simply beat defenders around the outside – he has the strength to break the first tackle before accelerating away from the cover defence.
4. Rieko Ioane – New Zealand
One of the quickest All Blacks of the modern era.
Rieko Ioane first established himself as a devastating international winger before making the switch to outside centre, but the positional change certainly didn't take away his pace.
At full flight, there are very few players capable of catching him.
Ioane's acceleration remains a major weapon for New Zealand and puts him firmly among the fastest players in international rugby.
3. Cheslin Kolbe – South Africa
Could he actually be number one?
Springbok supporters might certainly argue that he should be.
Cheslin Kolbe has spent years terrorising defenders with a combination of incredible acceleration, footwork and outright speed.
Perhaps the most famous demonstration came in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final, when he left Owen Farrell behind to score the try that sealed South Africa's victory over England.
Even now, Kolbe remains one of the most explosive athletes in world rugby.
And unlike some pure speedsters, he can seemingly reach top gear almost instantly.
2. Louis Bielle-Biarrey – France
The man challenging for rugby's speed crown.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey's rise has been extraordinary, with the French winger rapidly developing into one of the most dangerous attacking players in the world.
His pace is frightening.
Bielle-Biarrey has even tested himself against former Olympic sprinter Christophe Lemaitre, reportedly reaching 10.69 metres per second during their sprint challenge.
It's therefore hardly surprising that defenders have struggled to get anywhere near him.
But there's one man who wants a race.
HAVE YOUR SAY
1. Louis Rees-Zammit – Wales
11.2 metres per second.
That is the extraordinary figure Louis Rees-Zammit says he recorded against Fiji this summer, revealing he had hit the remarkable new top speed during the July international.
It works out at approximately 40.3km/h, reinforcing the Welshman's claim to be the fastest player currently operating in international rugby.
Speed has always been LRZ's superpower.
It helped turn him into one of rugby's biggest young stars before his switch to American football, where his athleticism earned him an opportunity in the NFL.
Now back in rugby, Rees-Zammit appears to have lost none of it.
And he's already identified the player he'd like to race.
Asked about Bielle-Biarrey, the Welshman made clear that he'd be interested in settling the debate the simplest way possible.
One pitch. Two players. Straight race.
Make it happen.
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LATEST COMMENTS
- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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