Warren Gatland racing to recruit Exeter's Zack Wimbush for Wales

Warren Gatland is preparing to draw the battle lines with England counterpart Steve Borthwick as he steps up his bid to win the race to persuade highly rated Exeter Chiefs centre Zack Wimbush to nail his colours to Wales. Hong Kong-born Wimbush, who is on apprenticeship terms at Sandy Park and celebrates his 21st birthday next month, qualifies for both Wales and England, and Gatland is very keen to fast-track him into the Welsh set-up.

The outside centre, who stands 6ft 6ins and weighs 118kgs, made 16 appearances in all competitions for the Chiefs last season after initially joining Rob Baxter’s outfit at U18 level.

Educated at Mount Kelly School In Tavistock before going to Exeter College and then Exeter University, Wimbush made his debut against Bath in the Premiership Rugby Cup in November 2022. He scored his first Gallagher Premiership try against Newcastle Falcons last March and has been tipped as a future star, which is why Gatland is making such an effort to secure his Test-level services.

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Wimbush, whose parents are both PE teachers and his grandfather is from Wales, has also played for his University at inside centre. He now looks set to follow back-rower Ross Vintcent, who was fast-tracked by Italy, and winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who choose Borthwick’s Enland over Gatland’s Wales earlier this year, into the international arena.

Gatland is determined not to miss out again and he issued a warning to players who were torn between the two counties after missing out on Feyi-Waboso.

“Players also have to be careful that they do not make a decision that they end up regretting and prevent them from exploring other opportunities,” he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. “Once a player is capped, they are tied to that country. But, as we have seen before, some do not feature again for long periods of time.”