Teenage wing sensation Louis Rees-Zammit could be on the brink of a Six Nations callup for Wales after starring in Gloucester's European Champions Cup victory over French club Montpellier.
The 18-year-old set up a first half try for Gloucester's Kiwi captain Willi Heinz and then scored one himself in the second spell as Gloucester completed a 29-6 home win on Saturday (Sunday NZ time).
Cardiff-born Rees-Zammit, who turns 19 on February 2 - the Six Nations' opening weekend - won the English Rugby Premiership player of the month for December after five tries in his first two premiership games.
His first-season form is similar to the impact Jonah Lomu made in 1994, his All Blacks breakthrough year, although the 1.91m 87kg Rees-Zammit's style is different to the late All Black ace's.
Now speculation is building that the one-time Cardiff Blues academy player could be selected in new Wales' coach Wayne Pivac's Six Nations training squad, due to be named on Wednesday (Thursday NZ time).
GETTY IMAGES
Louis Rees-Zammit dives over to score in a European Champions Cup match against Montpellier.
Rees-Zammit showed class and composure against Montpellier, opening up the French team with a defence-splitting run through midfield before putting halfback Heinz into clear space.
The lightning quick wing scored for Gloucester when he took a pass from Kiwi fullback Jason Woodward after a sweeping backline move in the 49th minute.
It was the Gloucester academy player's ninth try in all competitions this season and he admitted afterwards: "It's all come quite quick but I'm over the moon and we'll look forward to Toulouse next week. We're ready to take them on and get into the quarter-finals."
Rees-Zammit would be eligible for England once he met residency requirements, but he has reportedly told England coach Eddie Jones he wants to play for Wales.
Pint-sized record try-scoring Welsh wing Shane Williams' was Rees-Zammit's boyhood idol.
"I always used to watch him when I was a kid, went to Wales games and he always used to be the stand-out player," he said after beating former All Black Charles Piutau and Springboks halfback Cobus Reinach to the player of the month award.
MICHAEL STEELE
Wales' new coach, New Zealander Wayne Pivac, is set to name his first Six Nations training squad on Wednesday.
Former Wales back Nicky Robinson reckons it is too early to call up Rees-Zammit to the test team.
He told the BBC's Scrum V podcast the teenager was "doing really well, but we've got so much strength in depth there in the back three and wings at the moment.
"Let him enjoy playing for Gloucester. They are going well, he's lots to learn and then when he's right we can bring him in."
But former England wing turned BT Sports television pundit Ugo Monye has said Rees-Zammit "already looks readymade at the age of 18" and is showing "the hallmarks of what could be a promising career" at premiership level, "but potentially at international as well".
Monye said Rees-Zammit was "turning the momentum" through his try-scoring ability, searing pace and "really nice deft touches".
"You often look to your senior players for those contributions to change momentum but Louis is doing it at 18. It's a winger's job to score tries and he's clearly doing that but to change the course of a match, that takes something really special, and he's quite clearly got a very special talent.
