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Will Wales get reaction after dropping Rees-Zammit?

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Image caption,

Louis Rees-Zammit has won 42 caps for Wales

By Chris Kirwan

BBC Sport Wales

Published 2 hours ago

Former Wales and Lions centre Jonathan Davies believes Wales wing Louis Rees-Zammit's pride will have taken a blow after being dropped to the bench against Argentina.

Rees-Zammit is poised to win his 42nd cap in the Nations Championship fixture against the Pumas in San Juan on Saturday (20:10 BST), but with 23 on his back.

The 25-year-old returned to wing in the win against Fiji last week having switched to full-back throughout the Six Nations.

However, head coach Steve Tandy has opted to bring in Ellis Mee to face Argentina alongside Josh Adams and Blair Murray in the back three.

Rees-Zammit's former team-mate Davies told Scrum V: The Warm-Up he expects to see a reaction from the Bristol star.

"His pride will probably be dented so when the opportunity comes off the bench hopefully we see someone who doesn't want to relinquish a starting spot," he said.

Nations Championship: Argentina v Wales

Saturday, 11 July (20:10 BST)

Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan

Listen on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app which also has live text commentary. Watch live on S4C.

Tandy hopes Wales will see the best of Rees-Zammit as a replacement when the game breaks up.

But eyebrows will always be raised when arguably Wales' most recognisable player is left out of the starting line-up.

Rees-Zammit returned to rugby last summer after a crack at American football and was swiftly given a call-up by Tandy despite just four club games with Bristol.

He scored against Japan and New Zealand in the autumn but failed to cross when playing at full-back in the Six Nations.

Rees-Zammit overcame a niggle to start the Nations Championship opener but it was the Fijian back three who dazzled in a fixture that was ultimately won by Wales in a tight game.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Image caption,

Jonathan Davies and Louis Rees-Zammit won the 2021 Six Nations with Wales

Davies believes Rees-Zammit must hunt for more work.

"Ellis Mee has shown more of an appetite to get on the ball," he said on the Scrum V podcast.

"Rees-Zammit has X-factor when he gets the ball in his hands but Ellis has worked off his wing to get more touches.

"If Rees-Zammit is our most dangerous player then why aren't we encouraging him to get on the ball?

"I am sure the coaches are doing that and you can't expect the ball to find its way to the wing.

"Shane Williams always used to work hard, we always tried to get George North and Alex Cuthbert on the ball as much as we could.

"I want to see more hunger from Louis to try and get his hands on the ball, and not just on the wing."

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Rees-Zammit returned to the international stage as a replacement against Argentina in Cardiff, and this is the first time since that he has missed out on being a starter.

The only other occasions that Wales have lined up without him in the back three under Tandy were against South Africa and Barbarians when England-based players were unavailable.

Former centre Tom Shanklin believes the management team are trying to fire up the wing.

"Louis Rees-Zammit is the most X-factor player that we have got," he said on Scrum V.

"Maybe they are just trying to motivate him and get his hunger back.

"For me, he is still the number one wing we have got but Ellis Mee made a difference off the bench.

"I probably wouldn't have dropped him. I'd still have him in there because you don't lose your X-factor overnight."

The challenge for Rees-Zammit is to ensure he is on the pitch from the first whistle against South Africa in Durban in the final game of a long 2025-26 season.

More on this story

Beard hopes to repeat Wales success in Argentina

*   Published 8 hours ago

Wales aim to turn tables on Pumas after Cardiff loss

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James hopes Wales scrum can help tame Pumas

*   Published 1 day ago

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