Rugby Bears star Rees-Zammits set for a return to the Wales side

NEW boss Steve Tandy says Wales are delighted to be welcoming back “special athlete” Louis Rees-Zammit following the winger's return from the NFL.

- Press ASSOCIATION

Bristol Bears’ Rees-Zammit was named in Tandy’s first Wales squad on Tuesday for upcoming Autumn Nations Series Tests against Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.

The British and Irish Lions speedster has not played international rugby for over two years after making the switch to American football in January 2024.

Rees-Zammit joined the Kansas City Chiefs and then the Jacksonville Jaguars, but did not play a competitive game in the NFL before signing a season-long deal with the Bears in August.

“He's a special athlete and he's got a special mindset as well to try something new,” said Tandy, who left his role as Scotland defence coach - a position he had held since 2019 - to fill a vacancy created by Warren Gatland’s departure in February.

“Most people are probably not brave enough to try and experience something different, so that tells you a lot about him as a person and his mentality.

“He told me he’s definitely faster and a bit bigger, so that’s good for us to hear. We've got to build a game where we can get him in the game more often. We've got an exciting back three and it's how we can create the game to get those boys on the ball more.

“The learnings he'd had from American football as well, he was always going to be back in the squad”