24 February 2021

How Louis Rees-Zammit and Jonny May compare ahead of Wales v England

24 February 2021

One of the many intriguing duels in store when Wales and England clash at the Principality Stadium on Saturday is a high-octane collision on the wing.

Gloucester team-mates Louis Rees-Zammit and Jonny May are capable of shredding defences with their pace and footwork and here, the PA news agency analyses both players.

RUGBYU Wales Head to head

Louis Rees-Zammit – Gloucester

Position: WingAge: 20Caps: 6Debut: v France, 2020Height: 6’2”Weight: 13st 9lbsPoints: 20 (Tries 4)From the moment he made his Gloucester debut as an 18-year-old, Rees-Zammit has looked destined for the top. A lethal finisher with lightning-fast pace – even the jet-heeled May says that “on a good day I can just about keep up” – the Wales wing has taken to Test rugby with aplomb. Two tries against Scotland at Murrayfield, the second a clinical solo effort that swept Wales into the lead in a finely-poised match, signpost a long international career that could take a step forwards with Lions selection this summer. Still only 20, one of the challenges facing Rees-Zammit is to stay grounded.

Jonny May – Gloucester

Position: WingAge: 30Caps: 63Debut: v Argentina, 2013Height: 6’2”Weight: 14st 2lbsPoints: 160 (Tries 32)By his own admission he may be a fraction slower, but May’s all-round game has evolved to a whole new level. Still capable of scoring spectacular tries – witness his finishes against Ireland last autumn and against Italy in round two – but he now takes as much satisfaction in the less glamorous duties of the modern wing such as kick-chase and aerial ability. His dedication to his craft is unrivalled in the England camp and he has developed into a more rounded player. For all that, it is the extraordinary athleticism, ability to stop-start and eye for an opening that set him apart as a box-office attraction.

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