Louis Rees-Zammit to miss Wales team selection cut - report

Louis Rees-Zammit is reportedly set to miss out on selection for Wales’ autumn opener against Argentina as head coach Steve Tandy prepares to name his first matchday squad of the campaign.

According to Wales Online, the 24-year-old Bristol Bears flyer has yet to prove his fitness after suffering an injury playing for his new club, and is unlikely to be risked for Saturday’s Test in Cardiff.

The 6’3, 98kg winger last played for Wales in the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final but suffered a toe injury against Saracens on October 4 and has been working to regain full fitness since.

Wales host Los Pumas, who are currently ranked sixth in the world – six places above Tandy’s side – before facing Japan, New Zealand and South Africa in a testing November schedule.

Rees-Zammit, who returned to rugby union this summer after a brief stint pursuing an NFL career, was seen as likely to bounce straight back into the side were it not for the injury.

In a fine vein of form despite a relatively modest amount of game time for Bristol, his absence will represent a significant blow to a backline already light on experience.

Tandy is expected to go with Tom Rogers and Josh Adams on the wings, with Blair Murray tipped to start at fullback.

“He’s kind of in that progression right now,” said Danny Wilson earlier in the week. “He progressed back last week and he’s had a full training week this week. There are a few boxes to tick but he’s moving in the right direction.

“We’re quite fortunate at the moment that with training last week and this, we’ve got a fit and healthy squad.

“The likes of him and some of the other names back in the squad gives us quite an exciting challenge in how best to select the team for the games moving forwards. He certainly fits that bill.”

Elsewhere, Saracens loosehead Rhys Carre is tipped to start.

Rees-Zammit’s return to rugby marked the end of an ambitious but short-lived detour into American football.

After signing with the Kansas City Chiefs and later joining the Jacksonville Jaguars, he failed to feature in an NFL game and returned to rugby in August, penning a deal with Pat Lam’s Bristol Bears.

He’s not the only superstar winger not to make a cut for the weekend Quilter Nations Series games, with Duhan van der Merwe also missing the cut for the visit of the All Blacks. The giant winger who scored two tries against the USA last weekend has made the 23-man matchday squad.