Rees-Zammit to make Bristol debut in Prem Cup

Louis Rees-Zammit confirmed his return to rugby union in August

Louis Rees-Zammit has been named on the bench for Bristol Bears to make his debut in the Prem Rugby Cup against Sale Sharks.

The Wales international signed for the Bears on 14 August, returning to rugby union after spending 18 months in the NFL.

Bristol begin the 2025-26 season away to the Sharks on Saturday, 13 September with another cup game away at 24-year-old Rees-Zammit's former club Gloucester on 19 September before the start of their Prem Rugby campaign on 26 September at home to Leicester.

"There'll be players that will be featured in these next two games that will be featured in our first two rounds," Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam told BBC Radio Bristol.

"It's all very well training together it's about playing together, he'll be in that selection frame this week as well."

Rees-Zammit has not played rugby since a European Challenge Cup match on 13 January 2024, before leaving the sport to pursue a career in American football.

He has been training with the Bristol squad for the past four weeks, including on a team trip to Portugal, after signing a one-year contract.

Yet Lam said getting him back to match fitness remains the biggest challenge before the Prem Rugby opener at home to Leicester on 28 September.

"Some of his highlights reels, we've seen evidence of that in the training. We've got a lot of quick boys but that's next level quick what he can do," Lam said of Rees-Zammit's first weeks in the squad.

"But I think the biggest challenge for him at the moment is just getting back to rugby fitness, he hasn't trained this way for 18 months.

"He'll be the first to admit the first couple of days, the first week, he was seriously blown but he's getting better and better.

"By the time we've had that first Premiership game we hope that he's fully ready to go."

Genge a 'world-class' scrummager

Rees-Zammit is one of four new players signed to the first-team this summer along with Scotland fly-half Tom Jordan, Argentina lock Pedro Rubiolo and scrum-half Max Pepper.

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

He also praised prop Ellis Genge who spent the summer on tour with the British and Irish Lions for the first time.

Genge started the first Test against Australia and came on from the bench in the second and third and Lam said the tour had only enhanced the England international's reputation.

"He's established himself, we've all known that he lives on the edge of aggression, passion - brings that to every team," Lam said.

"But I think the thing that he's come out with is his reputation as a world-class scrummager which was class."