Rees-Zammit Starts on Wing for Wales Nations Championship Opener Against Fiji

Wales named Louis Rees-Zammit on the wing for the Nations Championship opener against Fiji at Cardiff City Stadium. The BBC reported kickoff is set for 14:10 BST. Head coach Steve Tandy made six changes from the side that defeated the Barbarians 33-31.

Rees-Zammit, scrum-half Tomos Williams, prop Rhys Carre and lock Adam Beard return after being unavailable last week. Cardiff duo Josh Adams and Alex Mann also start, while Taine Plumtree drops to the bench to cover lock. Rees-Zammit, 25, missed a session earlier this week with a niggle but trained on Wednesday.

He scored in his previous two Tests against Fiji in 2021 and 2023. Blair Murray starts at full-back. The BBC reported that Wales have only three specialist second-rows in the squad after Dafydd Jenkins underwent shoulder surgery.

Adam Beard joined the group on Sunday after playing in the Top 14 final. Tomos Williams played his first game in nine months against the Barbarians following an ankle injury. An agreement between the Welsh Rugby Union and the Welsh Rugby Players' Association over employment terms was reached late on Wednesday afternoon.

The squad had skipped a scheduled Wednesday press conference amid the dispute. Captain Dewi Lake and Alex Mann are the only players to start every Test under Tandy, whose reign reaches its 10th match this weekend. Ospreys prop Ben Warren could earn his first cap from the bench.

Wales starting XV: Murray; Rees-Zammit, James, Hawkins, Adams; Edwards, Tomos Williams; Carre, Lake (capt), Lewis, Carter, Beard, Mann, Morgan, Wainwright. Replacements: Elias, Smith, Warren, Plumtree, Botham, Hardy, Costelow, Mee. The BBC reported that the match is the first international rugby game at Cardiff City Stadium.