Louis Rees-Zammit marked his Prem debut for Bristol with the crowning try in a breathless victory over Leicester that will whet the appetite for what is to come from the flying Welshman.
Rees-Zammit’s 60-metre effort, 20 seconds from the end of a compelling contest, delivered the climactic moment for a crowd of 20,796 at Ashton Gate. The game was won by that point but the sight of the wing at full bore, leaving Leicester’s defence for dust, was one to savour.
“I said to the guys: ‘Jeez, it would be nice to have that sort of speed’,” said Bristol’s director of rugby, Pat Lam. “I wasn’t sure when he first came how quickly he would fit into a new team and the way we play and getting back to rugby fitness. I’m really proud of him.
“Every day he’s getting better because of the way we train. He had to go through a little bit of pain at the beginning. I remember the amount of time he had his hands on knees, which I don’t allow. But that will give him a lot of confidence. To be able to still sprint like that at the end – he knows he’s got that in the tank.”
Rees-Zammit’s last appearance in the Prem – or the Premiership as it was then – came for Gloucester on 30 December 2023 at Twickenham – as it was then – in Big Match 15. The 24-year-old’s dalliance with American football thereafter ended in the summer without the NFL break he yearned for but his return has been a welcome boost both for Bristol Bears and the league.
After a first try in Bears’ colours in the Prem Rugby Cup last week at Gloucester, Sunday’s score in his first complete 80 minutes was another sign that Rees-Zammit is back in his happy place. He did not have many opportunities but he took his chance in style when it came. Gabriel Oghre and the replacement Josh Carrington also touched down in the second half after Fitz Harding and Gabriel Ibitoye had scored tries before the break.
The Tigers managed four tries, with two from the wing Adam Radwan, whose footwork must have impressed the watching England head coach, Steve Borthwick, plus one from Orlando Bailey and an early score from Jack van Poortvliet.
Bristol had to fight their way back after a fast start from the Tigers that was something of a surprise given their buildup. Despite staying overnight in Bristol ahead of the game, they ended up scrambling to be ready for the start.
“We arrived 45 minutes before kick-off and had to walk from the other side of the ground through the fans. The bus driver took not one wrong turn but two wrong turns. We actually started pretty well so no excuses,” said Leicester’s new head coach, Geoff Parling. “I thought we looked like a team that was still getting to know each other a little bit. But I can’t fault their effort.”
It was the former England second row’s first league game in charge since leaving the Wallabies’ setup after the Lions series. He will have been particularly frustrated with his side conceding 14 penalties. Tom Jordan, man of the match on an assured debut after his summer move from Glasgow, punished them with 14 points from the boot.
Jordan was switched from full-back to stand-off 13 minutes in when AJ MacGinty tore his achilles. It was one of three serious injuries suffered by the Bears during the course of the game, with Harry Randall and Ibitoye departing with hamstring issues. It is MacGinty’s that is of most long-term concern. If it is as bad as feared it could be a long road back for the USA international at the age of 35.
“Aaron Rodgers is older than AJ and he was back in 11 weeks after snapping his achilles so I’ll have to have a quiet word with Louis Rees-Zammit to see if he knows someone at the Green Bay Packers,” said Lam.
