World at his feet Who knows how high his ceiling is?: Head coach hails LRZ
LOUIS Rees-zammit will carry blistering form into the Autumn Nations Series and an opener against New Zealand that he “cannot wait” for.
Rees-zammit has never previously faced the All Blacks, while Wales last beat New Zealand in 1953.
That run of 32 successive defeats underlines the huge task facing Wayne Pivac’s team when they kick off an autumn schedule on Saturday that also features Cardiff appointments with Argentina, Georgia and Australia.
In Gloucester wing Rees-zammit, though, Pivac has an enviable strike weapon at his disposal, a player capable of breaching any defence.
If proof was needed of his gamebreaking prowess, then the 21-yearold’s performance on his final domestic appearance before Wales duty provided it.
He scored Gloucester’s opening try in a 38-22 victory over Exeter, and then created a stunning score for skipper Lewis Ludlow by beating two Chiefs defenders and delivering a brilliant one-handed inside pass to his captain, all executed at full speed.
“I saw the moment unfold. I just wanted the ball, to be honest, and kind of backed myself,” Rees-zammit said.
“I could hear ‘Luds’ screaming for the ball on the outside, and I didn’t really think about it, I just did it.”
Rees-zammit’s work elsewhere on the pitch also stood out - kick-chase, defence and support play - which underlined the strides he continues to make with his game.
“I have been trying to work on my defence a lot more, and it is kind of paying off,” he added.
“I always back myself in attack, whenever I get the ball, whether it is in space or not.
“It is all about working in the week and getting myself ready for the game on the weekend. Preparation is huge.
“Test rugby is very difficult, very demanding. Repeatability is huge.
“There are so many kicks going on, so many kick-chases, you have just got to prepare yourself and hopefully the rewards will come on the weekend.
“I have never faced them (New Zealand), and I cannot wait. They are one of the only teams I haven’t played against at the minute, and watching them doing the Haka against other teams, I just want to see it in real life.
“I missed the game last year as it was out of the international window. It was frustrating, but hopefully I get the chance this year and we put on a good performance.”
Only 19 Tests into his Wales career, Rees-zammit is one of world rugby’s hottest properties.
It means a burgeoning profile on and off the pitch, yet Gloucester head coach George Skivington has no doubt about his ability to handle it.
Skivington shared his delight at the performance of Rees-zammit on Friday night.
“Zam is working so hard on his allround game that for me, the magical moments are great and that’s what he gives us, and he is gifted, but the hard work he is putting into defence is absolutely unbelievable,” Skivington said.
“He is doing all the stuff he is doing to make him a really world class winger.
“The more actions he has in the game and the nearer the ball he is, the more happens. It’s full credit to him and it’s no coincidence.”
Gloucester will now lose their winger for the entirety of November as he links up with Wales for their highly anticipated Autumn Nations Cup fixtures.
The Welsh-flyer will be hoping to transfer his club form onto the international scene, with Skivington confident Rees-zammit has the tools and temperament to reach the very top.
“Who knows how high his ceiling is?” Skivington said. “He is a good kid, a humble kid, and he is getting a lot of attention and things thrown at him that most of us wouldn’t get in our wildest dreams, all sorts of deals that make it a lot for him to manage.
“He is focussed in what he is doing and loves being here and loves being
He is a good kid, a humble kid, and he is getting a lot of attention and things thrown at him that most of us wouldn’t get in our wildest dreams George Skivington
part of the team and has a good group around him that help him manage things it would be easy to get carried away with.”
Part of the winger’s success has been his growing impact off his wing during games, getting himself involved more in open play using his strength to make metres even in close quarters.
Another man who has followed suit is his wing counterpart Santiago Carreras, with the Argentine also getting hold of the ball far more often.
The ploy is something that the coaching team have worked hard on according to Skivington, after not using them as effectively as possible last season.
He explained: “My objective is to tell him to enjoy all that stuff, but mainly work hard and play well.
“We are desperate to get guys like him more involved. He will do whatever you ask him to do.
“It wasn’t by design last year that they (Zammit and Carreras) weren’t getting the ball but we didn’t get the ball to them quick enough.
“He has never moaned, and he is happy to be challenged. They definitely deserve to be seeing the ball more.”