Louis Rees-Zammit: Gloucester wing is set to miss start of Six Nations

Louis Rees-Zammit in action for Wales against Argentina.
Louis Rees-Zammit made his senior Wales debut against France in October 2020 and has played 22 internationals

Wales wing Louis Rees-Zammit appears increasingly unlikely to be fit for the opening Six Nations games against Ireland and Scotland.

The Gloucester player suffered an ankle injury during his team's Gallagher Premiership defeat at Leicester on 24 December.

Wales open their Six Nations campaign against Ireland on 4 February.

"He is doing all right," said Gloucester head coach George Skivington.

"I think he will be available mid-Six Nations. That is a rough guide and not set in stone, though."

Wales travel to face Scotland on 11 February before hosting England two weeks later.

Rees-Zammit has missed Gloucester's past two Premiership fixtures, and will sit out Heineken Champions Cup matches against Leinster and Bordeaux-Begles.

Warren Gatland, in charge of Wales for a second time after replacing Wayne Pivac, is set to name his Six Nations squad next week.

While the back-three positions are not an area of weakness, given the presence of Liam Williams, Leigh Halfpenny, Josh Adams, Rio Dyer and Alex Cuthbert, Rees-Zammit offers an additional try-scoring dimension.

Gatland has other injury concerns before the Six Nations. Dragons second row Will Rowlands and Ospreys fly-half Gareth Anscombe have been ruled out of the tournament with shoulder injuries.

Ospreys flanker Dan Lydiate is sidelined with a broken arm and will be out until February, Scarlets prop Samson Lee is a long-term casualty with an Achilles problem and Cardiff centre Willis Halaholo is not expected to return until March because of a hamstring problem.

Dillon Lewis, Josh Navidi, Josh Macleod, Ben Carter, Owen Watkin, Wyn Jones and Johnny Williams are battling to prove their fitness for the start of the tournament.

Ospreys centre George North is recovering from minor facial surgery, while Cardiff full-back Williams went off in the defeat against Ospreys on 7 January.

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