Louis Rees-Zammit will return to Wales this autumn for the first time since turning his back on rugby to pursue dreams of playing in the NFL.
It’s been two years since winger Rees-Zammit last represented Wales, instead signing an International Player Pathway (IPP) deal with the NFL and joining the practice squad of the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 24-year-old opted to return to rugby in August, signing a season-long contract with Bristol Bears.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Rees-Zammit hasn’t missed much of an opportunity. In his absence, Wales suffered a historic 18-game losing streak from the 2023 Rugby World Cup to the July Test in Japan. During this period, Warren Gatland was fired as head coach and Steve Tandy is now head coach.
Rees-Zammit is in a 39-man squad that includes five uncapped players: prop Danny Southworth, hooker Brodie Coghlan, second-row James Fender, back-row Morgan Morse and center Lewis Hennessy. There’s also a spot for Saracens prop Rhys Carre. Although his 20 caps fall short of Tandy’s 25-cap limit of naming players based outside Wales, the Welsh Professional Rugby Board has given him the power to name Saracens’ front row.
“It’s really exciting to go through the whole process and realize how good of a player we have,” Tandy said in a statement.
“We had to make a selection and we’re really happy with it. We have some young players coming in and some experience, so it’s a very good mix. But the overall atmosphere is really exciting and I can’t wait to get the players into camp on Monday.”
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However, one player is missing: second-rower Will Rowlands. He announced his retirement from international rugby on Tuesday, ending a career that saw him win 41 caps for Wales.
Head coach Tandy said: “Will was a great servant to the game of Welsh rugby. He was an outstanding player and a great environment.”
“Everyone I’ve talked to about Will will tell you he’s brought a lot of value to the international game both on and off the pitch. Of course it’s disappointing for us to lose a player of such quality, but we fully understand his situation and wish him the best for the future.”