Louis Rees-zammit Recalled To Wales Squad After Nfl Misadventure

Louis Rees-Zammit is successful statement for an world rugby comeback for Wales adjacent period 21 months aft abandoning nan athletics to effort his luck successful American football. Rees-Zammit, now 24, is among 39 players named successful nan first squad to beryllium picked by nan caller nationalist caput coach, Steve Tandy.

The British and Irish Lions winger, who won nan astir caller of his 32 caps astatine nan 2023 World Cup, made nan move to American shot successful January 2024 but ended up not featuring successful a competitory NFL game. He returned to national successful August erstwhile he joined nan English Prem broadside Bristol.

Rees-Zammit has missed nan Bears’ past 2 games pinch a ft wounded but is not expected to beryllium a semipermanent absentee. Wales are owed to footwear disconnected their autumn Test run against Argentina connected 9 November earlier facing Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.

Tandy, antecedently Scotland’s defence coach, has besides selected Saracens’ Rhys Carré, antecedently barred from representing Wales nether nan norm that demands that players based extracurricular nan state require astatine slightest 25 caps to beryllium eligible. Carré has made 20 appearances but now requalifies connected nan ground he was not offered a decent woody to enactment successful Wales erstwhile he moved backmost to northbound London successful 2023.

There are 5 uncapped players, pinch nan Dragons hooker Brodie Coghlan, nan Ospreys fastener James Fender and nan back-rower Morgan Morse, nan Cardiff prop Danny Southworth and nan Bath centre Louie Hennessey each making a squad led by nan flanker Jac Morgan.

“It’s been really breathtaking going done nan full process and realising really galore bully players we’ve got,” said Tandy. “There’s a really bully operation of immoderate young guys coming in, mixed pinch immoderate acquisition arsenic well. But nan wide emotion is really breathtaking and I can’t hold to get nan boys into campy connected Monday.”

The long-serving Racing 92 fastener Will Rowlands, capped 41 times by his country, will not beryllium progressive and has announced his status from world rugby. Cam Winnett and Keelan Giles were unavailable for action because of injury.

Gregor Townsend has announced a 45-man Scotland squad including 3 uncapped forwards successful nan shape of Edinburgh’s Liam McConnell and Harri Morris and Montpellier’s Alexander Masibaka. Edinburgh’s Magnus Bradbury is besides backmost successful contention for a first Test headdress since 2022. Scotland will commencement their run against nan USA earlier facing New Zealand, Argentina and Tonga.