How Rees-Zammit can become a rugby star again

San Francisco 49ers have been scrubbed out and Leicester Tigers have been pencilled in on 28 September in Louis Rees-Zammit’s diary.

The 24-year-old is a rugby player again after a failed bid to crack the NFL.

Bristol was confirmed as the Wales winger’s chosen destination on Thursday after his exit from Jacksonville Jaguars.

Pat Lam’s men are working towards their Prem Rugby opener against Leicester at Ashton Gate in six weeks’ time – 20 months since his last game rugby or, in fact, any form of competitive sport.

That will only heighten the focus on his comeback.

When Rees-Zammit announced his intention to return to rugby it sparked a transfer frenzy.

Crucially, Bristol had finances available despite the salary cap and spaces to fill in the back three.

“He’s a very talented player and there were a lot of clubs from Japan, France and England chasing him [so] we’re chuffed he signed,” said head of recruitment Gethin Watts, formerly of Ospreys, Cardiff and the Welsh Rugby Union.

Bristol’s expansive style helped with the sales pitch to Rees-Zammit’s brother and agent Taylor.

Only champions Bath scored more than their 95 league tries as Bristol only twice missed out on a try-bonus and wing Gabriel Ibitoye finishing joint top scorer by crossing 13 times.

“The way we play the game, and the way he wants to play the game – it’s a perfect match,” said Watts.

Former Bristol and Ospreys coach Sean Holley believes that the move can help the rapid Rees-Zammit add to his game.

“I do see Pat using him as a versatile back-three player,” he said to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

“Bristol use their wingers really well and bring them off the wing and like to give them the ball in hand.

“They want to get the ball quickly and shift it wide but Louis will be encouraged to get involved elsewhere.

“There is a lot of kicking in rugby now, particularly in England, so we might even see him at full-back, which will be good because we want him to develop his kicking skills.”

Bristol’s squad members not involved in summer Test rugby checked back in for duty on 16 July.

Rees-Zammit is a month behind the majority of his new teammates but will be well-conditioned, albeit for different demands.

He was shifted from running back to wide receiver in American football – even acting as kicker in one practice game – but his only defensive work would have come in special teams coverage.

Rees-Zammit was in a sport of short bursts. Bristol’s stunning end-to-end try in their breathless semi-final against Bath in June showed just what he is returning to.

“Physically he’s in a good place, but there’s a responsibility on us to integrate him back into rugby carefully,” said Watts.

“We’re not going to rush him in straight away. We need to assess him. Training [in the NFL] is completely different to how we do things over here.”

Time will tell whether adding muscle for the NFL has impacted Rees-Zammit’s top-end speed, in the short-term at least, but first it will be about the basics.

“Pat and his coaching team will need to get him back passing, kicking, catching,” said Holley.

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.

With a record low of just two Lions tourists, Wales is desperate for a star.

Even if November is deemed too early for a Test return, his comeback could still generate excitement – and funds – in Wales.

Scarlets will also be rubbing their hands together as the wing could pull more fans to their Champions Cup clash against Bristol in December.