Why Gloucester had to move quickly to pen Rees-Zammit down to contract extension

Gloucester have been praised for tying 18-year-old winger Louis Rees-Zammit down to a long-term contract extension.

This comes after growing speculation that the teenager may be involved in Wales’ upcoming Six Nations campaign in some capacity. 

No sooner did the winger reveal his intentions to play for Wales, quashing any lingering English hopes that he may play under Eddie Jones, that there was a race on between Wales and Gloucester. 

Had Wales capped Rees-Zammit before he was given a new contract, he would have needed to move back to Wales at the end of that deal in order to be available for selection, as he would have under 60 caps. 

However, he can now wait until the end of his new contract before moving back to Wales, assuming he is capped during that period. 

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This is what players like Josh Adams have done. He was uncapped when signing a deal for Worcester Warriors, but joined Cardiff Blues at the end of his contract. 

However, there are fears that Gloucester may have taken the same approach as the Exeter Chiefs did with Tomas Francis, who simply extended his current contract last season rather than being given a new one, meaning he can play in England and still represent Wales despite having under 60 caps. 

Had he not signed this new deal, it would have been bitterly disappointing for Gloucester to have lost a player of Rees-Zammit’s talents so soon after he burst onto the Premiership scene. 

After brilliant December where the Wales under-18 international scored five tries and was named Gallagher Premiership player of the month, he brought his form into Europe last weekend, being named man of the match after a try in the victory over Montpellier. 

In light of the former Cardiff Blues youth player’s showing at the weekend, Gloucester needed to be swift to secure his signature with the Six Nations only weeks away. It is no surprise that they have been commended for securing the future of one of their most promising players.  

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