Rees-Zammit to make Bristol debut in Prem Cup

Louis Rees-Zammit has been named connected nan chair for Bristol Bears to make his debut successful nan Prem Rugby Cup against Sale Sharks.

The Wales world signed for nan Bears connected 14 August, returning to rugby national aft spending 18 months successful nan NFL.

Bristol statesman nan 2025-26 play distant to nan Sharks connected Saturday, 13 September pinch different cup crippled distant astatine 24-year-old Rees-Zammit's erstwhile nine Gloucester connected 19 September earlier nan commencement of their Prem Rugby run connected 26 September astatine location to Leicester.

"There'll beryllium players that will beryllium featured successful these adjacent 2 games that will beryllium featured successful our first 2 rounds," Bristol head of rugby Pat Lam told BBC Radio Bristol.

"It's each very good training together it's astir playing together, he'll beryllium successful that action framework this week arsenic well."

Rees-Zammit has not played rugby since a European Challenge Cup lucifer connected 13 January 2024, earlier leaving nan athletics to prosecute a profession successful American football.

He has been training pinch nan Bristol squad for nan past 4 weeks, including connected a squad travel to Portugal, aft signing a one-year contract.

Yet Lam said getting him backmost to lucifer fittingness remains nan biggest situation earlier nan Prem Rugby opener astatine location to Leicester connected 28 September.

"Some of his highlights reels, we've seen grounds of that successful nan training. We've sewage a batch of speedy boys but that's adjacent level speedy what he tin do," Lam said of Rees-Zammit's first weeks successful nan squad.

"But I deliberation nan biggest situation for him astatine nan infinitesimal is conscionable getting backmost to rugby fitness, he hasn't trained this measurement for 18 months.

"He'll beryllium nan first to admit nan first mates of days, nan first week, he was earnestly blown but he's getting amended and better.

"By nan clip we've had that first Premiership crippled we dream that he's afloat fresh to go."

Rees-Zammit is 1 of 4 caller players signed to nan first-team this summertime on pinch Scotland fly-half Tom Jordan, Argentina fastener Pedro Rubiolo and scrum-half Max Pepper.

"They're world-class players and they've already added a batch and they're raring to go, they've fitted successful really well," Lam said.

He besides praised prop Ellis Genge who spent nan summertime connected circuit pinch nan British and Irish Lions for nan first time.

Genge started nan first Test against Australia and came connected from nan chair successful nan 2nd and 3rd and Lam said nan circuit had only enhanced nan England international's reputation.

"He's established himself, we've each known that he lives connected nan separator of aggression, passion - brings that to each team," Lam said.

"But I deliberation nan point that he's travel retired pinch is his estimation arsenic a world-class scrummager which was class."