How Louis Rees-Zammit can become a rugby star again at Bristol

A Six Nations winner and a British and Irish Lions tourist, Rees-Zammit stunned rugby – including Warren Gatland – by revealing his shock NFL switch on the morning the Wales head coach was naming his Six Nations squad.

His 32 caps mean he is still eligible to play for Wales under the cap rule despite not signing for a Welsh region.

And new Wales head coach Steve Tandy has already hinted at a possible return as early as this autumn.

“You wouldn’t rule anything out. Zammo [Rees-Zammit] brings a big effect and excitement by coming back,” said Tandy.

In his absence Wales have fielded Josh Adams, Tom Rogers, Blair Murray, Rio Dyer, Ellis Mee, Josh Hathaway, Mason Grady and Keelan Giles but none have the star quality with a strike rate of 14 tries in 32 Tests.

“He’s a fantastic athlete with strength, speed, pace, he’s an X-factor player,” said former Wales fly-half James Hook.

“He has the attributes to compete with the best players in the world in his position.

“It doesn’t help that he would be coming into a Wales team struggling but he has that x-factor and stardust. I just hope he can live up to that.

“Payers like Henry Pollock, Marcus Smith, Finn Russell, Antoine Dupont, Cheslin Kolbe generate enthusiasm and a buzz around any team they play in.

“Louis fits into that category and if he had been available he would have been in with a shout for a starting Lions berth this summer. He is that good.”