Rees-Zammit Confident Wales Can Rally Against Italy
Louis Rees-Zammit returned to rugby with Bristol in the summer of 2025 and is optimistic about Wales' prospects in the Six Nations. He believes the team can energize the Principality Stadium crowd when they face Italy, despite early setbacks in the tournament.
Wales, coached by Steve Tandy, aim to end a 15-game losing streak in the Six Nations as they prepare to host Italy in Cardiff on Saturday. The team suffered heavy defeats against England and France in the opening rounds but demonstrated resilience against Scotland and Ireland, raising hopes for their first win since 2023.
Rees-Zammit Calls for Fast Starts to Engage Fans
Full-back Rees-Zammit emphasized the importance of a strong start to matches to harness the support of the home crowd, which proved vital in their performance against Scotland.
"In the first two games, there was nothing really to get behind. We weren't very good at all, both in attack and defence," said Rees-Zammit.
"It's hard for the crowd to get involved when we're not playing very well and we're letting in tries for fun early on in the game.
"When you have a good start to the game, that's when you can start bringing in your home fans, you can start playing better.
"The boys then feel the energy, and it just brings a bit of momentum to us. You've got to start well and bring the crowd into the game.
"The fans give us so much energy, especially against Scotland. That was an unbelievable feeling being on the pitch with 70,000 people cheering for us."
Rees-Zammit's Return and Recent Performances
Rees-Zammit returned to rugby after pursuing an NFL career last summer and has since earned seven Test caps, winning only one match. Wales led Scotland until the 75th minute and were narrowly behind 12-10 at halftime against Ireland in Dublin, eventually conceding a late penalty.
"The past two games, we should have won them both, but they were against two very good outfits in Scotland and Ireland who have been together a long time," Rees-Zammit stated.
"We're just building and, I said it after the France game, we've just got to start trusting each other and we have really started to do that for the last two games.
"That's why we've been able to put performances in that have been exciting, not just for us playing but people watching as well."
Positional Shift and Teammate Highlights
The Bristol back has transitioned from wing to full-back but has yet to add to his 16th international try scored against New Zealand in November. Meanwhile, prop Rhys Carre has scored three tries in the tournament, including an impressive 30-yard solo effort against Ireland.
"All credit to Carre, we've seen him do things like that in training, but to score in a game is a bit different," Rees-Zammit remarked.
"He is a very talented prop and always has been. He has worked hard over the past year with his club and now is putting in some really good performances for country."
Looking Ahead
Wales continue to build momentum in the Six Nations, with players like Dan Lydiate aiming for further defensive improvements following recent progress.
