'no Bigger Game' - Rees-zammit On England V Wales

It is difficult to hide from nan cameras erstwhile you are arsenic container agency arsenic Louis Rees-Zammit, moreover erstwhile you are among 70,000 spectators.

And judge enough, he was picked retired among nan Principality Stadium crowd erstwhile Wales suffered a 10-try drubbing by England during past year's Six Nations.

Rees-Zammit was chasing his NFL dream astatine nan time, earlier returning to rugby national successful nan summer.

"Obviously it wasn't a awesome watch, particularly against England and losing successful that manner," he said connected Sarra Elgan's Six Nations 2026 Preview.

But this weekend, Bristol's flying full-back will person much of a opportunity arsenic he and his Wales team-mates hole to return connected nan aged force astatine Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

It will really beryllium a first for Rees-Zammit, who astatine 25 has already played successful 3 Six Nations, a World Cup and toured pinch nan British and Irish Lions.

But he has ne'er tally retired for Wales astatine Twickenham.

"We played Quins location for Bristol a mates of months backmost and that was unbelievable, nan crowd was insane," he said.

"I'm looking guardant to it, it's nan first crippled arsenic well. It's benignant of nan chartless pinch Wales – what person we done to bring a much accordant capacity from nan autumn to now?

"All of nan boys are raring to go. There's nary bigger crippled than Wales England."

It is adjacent to opportunity Welsh fans are not carrying a awesome woody of dream into this year's Championship, particularly aft grounds defeats successful nan autumn.

You person to spell each nan measurement backmost to March 2023 to find Wales' astir caller Six Nations success, successful a lucifer against Italy.

But pinch Steve Tandy starring Wales successful nan Six Nations for nan first time, Rees-Zammit says this twelvemonth feels for illustration a caller start.

"It's for illustration a caller squad coming together. When you get caller coaching unit and different ideas, it feels for illustration everyone freshens up and starts from scratch," he said.

"In parts, we put successful immoderate bully performances successful nan autumn, it's conscionable astir doing it consistently for a afloat 80 minutes."

Rees-Zammit besides recognises pinch nan 2027 World Cup accelerated approaching, Wales are playing catch-up pinch nan different nations.

"We've sewage to proceed to activity difficult and effort and accelerate this process arsenic speedy arsenic possible," he said.

"We've sewage immoderate existent value successful our team, you've conscionable sewage to bring nan champion retired of each and each player."

Rees-Zammit's gait and powerfulness person seen him flourish astatine full-back astatine Bristol, while Wales Tandy besides sees "high potential" for him there.

"I emotion it. It allows maine to get much touches connected nan shot successful unfastened field, it suits my game," Rees-Zammit said.

"I overmuch for illustration it. I've played 15 successful nan past for Wales, but I deliberation now I'm benignant of seen arsenic a 15 that tin play connected nan wing.

"It conscionable brings thing different and nan measurement Bristol play is perfectly cleanable for me.

"I've sewage nan licence to not do what I want, but erstwhile I've sewage nan shot backmost location I person to make a determination and backmost myself."

As a poster boy of world rugby, Rees-Zammit's return to nan Six Nations is not only a boost for Wales, but for fans and media alike.

"I effort to not attraction connected that," Rees-Zammit said.

"Everything that I've had disconnected nan section has travel from my skills successful rugby, and evidently going to America brought a caller audience, but it's each astir performance.

"You've sewage Henry Pollock going done nan aforesaid thing, he's burst connected to nan segment and is playing unbelievably."

And while England's Pollock ruffles a fewer feathers, Rees-Zammit believes it is for nan bully of nan game.

"You've sewage to effort and bring your characteristic retired erstwhile it comes to rugby, because a batch of it gets unopen down," he added.

"Henry is doing a awesome occupation of bringing his characteristic to nan crippled and we request much group for illustration that, it'll conscionable turn nan sport.

"He evidently gets instrumentality for it, and I sewage instrumentality for it erstwhile I was younger, but you conscionable spell done it."

You tin watch Sarra Elgan's Six Nations 2026 Preview astatine 19:00 connected Wednesday, 4 February on BBC One Wales and iPlayer.