Bristol Bears face Sale in their PREM Rugby Cup encounter on Saturday with Rees-Zammit set for his first game in 18 months
Wales wing Louis Rees-Zammit(Image: PA Wire)
Bristol head coach Pat Lam has named Louis Rees-Zammit on the bench for his first game of rugby in 18 months.
Wales international Rees-Zammit stunned the sport when he quit on the eve of the 2024 Six Nations to try to make his name in the NFL. Spells with Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars over a year-and-a-half period didn’t work out and the former Gloucester man is now back in the PREM with the Bears, who take on Sale Sharks on Saturday in their PREM Rugby Cup opener. Join WalesOnline Rugby’s WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free
The 24-year-old has already stunned his new team-mates with his ability on the training paddock and will now get his first proper blowout ahead of the new season.
The winger will start the game among the replacements – but he isn’t the only Welshman in the 23, with rising talents Joe Jenkins and Aidan Boshoff named in the starting XV.
Boshoff, a Wales Under-20s international, is highly rated at Ashton Gate, having made his debut for the club when he was just 17. While originally hailing from Wales, winger Boshoff grew up in South Africa before moving back to the UK.
Jenkins, meanwhile, starts in midfield and is another insiders are excited about. Former Wales head coach Warren Gatland has made trips to watch him in action and he has represented England at under-20s level – but also qualifies for Wales.
Having been born in Halifax, Jenkins qualifies for Wales through his father’s side of the family who originally hail from Llanharan.
Attempts have already been made to lure him back into the Welsh fold.
Lam said ahead of the match: “The most important thing is to build cohesion heading to the PREM game [at home to Leicester Tigers on September 28), but this is also a meaningful fixture and the win matters.
“It is something different that we have never done in the PREM before and we are certainly approaching it like a proper game, rather than a pre-season game, because it is with just 23 players able to play.”
The game kicks off at 3pm on Saturday.
Sale Sharks: 15.Ollie Davies, 14. Tom O’Flaherty, 13. Rob du Preez ©, 12. Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11. Obi Ene, 10. Tom Curtis 9. Nye Thomas; 1. Simon McIntyre, 2. Nathan Jibulu, 3. James Harper, 4. Ernst van Rhyn, 5. Ben Bamber, 6. Jacques Vermeulen, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Dan du Preez.
Replacements: 16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. Patreece Bell, 19. Hyron Andrews, 20. Jos Gilmore, 21. Dom Hanson, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Tristan Woodman.
Bristol Bears: 15. Josh Carrington (debut), 14. Aidan Boshoff (3 apps), 13. Joe Jenkins (26 apps), 12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (50 apps), 11. Gabriel Ibitoye (59 apps), 10. AJ MacGinty (53 apps), 9. Kieran Marmion (52 apps); 1. Jake Woolmore (169 apps), 2. Harry Thacker (133 apps), 3. George Kloska (65 apps), 4. Joe Owen (35 apps), 5. Joe Batley (75 apps), 6. Luka Ivanishvili (debut), 7. Fitz Harding (c) (97 apps), 8. Ben Grondona (20 apps).
Replacements: 16. Tomas Gwilliam (5 apps), 17. Sam Grahamslaw (12 apps), 18. Lovejoy Chawatama (5 apps), 19. Kenzie Jenkins (3 apps), 20. Kofi Cripps (3 apps), 21. Max Pepper (debut), 22. James Williams (55 apps), 23. Louis Rees-Zammit (debut).
Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant referees : Alex Thomas and Simon Harding