CARDIFF :New Wales coach Steve Tandy said he was tempted to include the returning Louis Rees-Zammit in the starting lineup against Argentina but is also confident with what he could bring off the bench during Sunday’s test in Cardiff.
Rees-Zammit, who was a British & Irish Lion at the age of 20, has not played for Wales since the 2023 World Cup in France, electing to go off to the U.S. and try to break into the NFL.
The 24-year-old returned to rugby two months ago by signing for the Bristol Bears but after starting their first two Premiership games of the season missed the next three through injury.
“Yeah, I think there’s always a temptation to start someone like Zammo, but we’ve got to do what’s right by him and the group,” Tandy told a Friday press conference.
“It’s his first full training week this week, which has been awesome.
“He’s been doing some running and he’s been ticking the boxes in sort of lots of the physical aspects, but then you’ve got Tommy (Rogers) and Josh Adams who have trained really, really well.”
Adams and Rogers will be starting for Wales on the wings in the first of their country’s four November internationals at the Principality Stadium.
“We’ve got two boys who are match fit as well, so I think as well it gives us something. Bringing Zammo off the bench, I think does add a massive opportunity to add impact to the game.
“You’ve seen it before he went to American Football. Now the power, he’s bigger and he’s faster than he was before, so I think it’s an amazing opportunity for us to get him on the park.”
Tandy also reflected on his first match as coach, having missed out on an international career as a player when he featured for Neath and Ospreys.
“As a kid, the only thing I ever wanted to do was play for Wales. International rugby passed me by, but I loved every minute of my career, and I think hopefully that has helped me become a coach because you want to give everything you can to these players to fulfil their dreams and ultimately become better players.
“Obviously, I would have loved to play for Wales, but that wasn’t what was meant to be for me,” he added.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ken Ferris)
