'faster, Stronger' Rees-zammit Wants Wales Start

Louis Rees-Zammit insists he is bigger, faster and stronger aft making a accelerated world return pinch Wales.

The 24-year-old came connected to triumph his 33rd headdress successful Sunday's 52-28 conclusion by Argentina astatine Principality Stadium.

Rees-Zammit is successful contention for his first commencement since nan 2023 World Cup quarter-final conclusion to nan Pumas erstwhile Steve Tandy's broadside big Japan connected Saturday.

The helping aliases full-back returned to rugby pinch Bristol this summertime aft 2 years attempting to make it successful American football.

"I'm heavier, I americium much built successful my precocious body, I americium quicker," he said. "I americium conscionable complete 100kg and I americium emotion bully and accelerated astatine that weight; I americium decidedly heavier, but I americium besides faster."

Rees-Zammit spent clip pinch Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs, initially arsenic a moving backmost earlier trying retired arsenic a wide receiver.

He believes that has helped him beryllium a powerfulness action connected nan helping alternatively than conscionable a velocity merchant.

"There is simply a batch that I person brought successful that I learnt retired there. I americium a batch much explosive, beingness some defensively and shot successful hand," said nan erstwhile Gloucester back, who did not characteristic successful a regular play NFL game.

"I consciousness that I tin person a different portion of my crippled than earlier successful position of my physicality and trying to break done contact, trying to get summation statement connected carries arsenic opposed to trying to usage my velocity excessively much.

"The much carries and shot successful manus that I get, nan much I will beryllium capable to show that."

Rees-Zammit suffered a toed wounded successful his 4th crippled for nan Bears, but proved his fittingness to gain action connected Wales' chair for nan autumn opener.

That led to plentifulness of pre-match attraction being connected a replacement and he sewage immoderate of nan biggest cheers of nan afternoon.

Wales mightiness person suffered a dense loss, but nan helping was still capable to bespeak connected being successful his "happy place" successful a societal media post.

"It was a awesome experience," he said. "I did really miss being capable to play astatine nan Principality Stadium successful beforehand of our fans.

"It was incredible. You don't really cognize you've near until you spell back. When I came connected and heard nan crowd - each nan support I had, it meant truthful overmuch to me."

Wales won conscionable 1 of 19 Tests while Rees-Zammit was retired of nan image successful America, but nan helping is assured of brighter times nether Tandy.

"You could spot glimpses past play of what's to come. That was building a instauration of wherever we want to beryllium and what squad we want to be," he said.

"We tin do arsenic overmuch arsenic we tin successful training, but we've sewage to show it connected nan play erstwhile each nan fans person paid bully money to travel watch america play. It's what they deserve."

Rees-Zammit's past world triumph was against Georgia astatine nan 2023 World Cup and he intends to thief Wales repetition their summertime occurrence against Japan successful a captious crippled up of December's World Cup draw.

Eddie Jones' Brave Blossoms would leapfrog Tandy's broadside into 12th successful nan world rankings if they upset nan likelihood successful Cardiff.

Rees-Zammit said: "Everyone's locked successful connected what's next. Japan will beryllium a reliable game, but everyone is raring to spell and is buying successful 100%. We're each ready."