Former Wales team-mate Jonathan Davies believes Louis Rees-Zammit’s pride will be “dented” by being dropped to the bench – and expects it will spark a reaction from the wing in Argentina.

The 25-year-old is poised to win his 42nd cap in the Nations Championship fixture against the Pumas in San Juan on Saturday (20:10 BST), but with 23 on his back.

Rees-Zammit started at full-back in every Six Nations fixture and returned to wing in the win against Fiji at Cardiff City Stadium last week.

However, head coach Steve Tandy has opted to bring in Ellis Mee to face Argentina alongside Josh Adams and Blair Murray.

“Zam will be coming off the bench when the game starts to break up even more, so it is an exciting opportunity for us to see him in that role,” Tandy said.

Eyebrows will always be raised when arguably Wales’ most recognisable player is left out of the starting line-up.

Rees-Zammit returned to rugby last summer after a crack at American football and was swiftly given a call-up by Tandy despite just four club games with Bristol.

He scored against Japan and New Zealand in the autumn but failed to cross when playing at full-back in the Six Nations.

Rees-Zammit overcame a niggle to start the Nations Championship opener but it was the Fijian back three who dazzled in a fixture that was ultimately won by the Welsh tight game.

Former Wales and Lions centre Davies believes Rees-Zammit must hunt for more work.

“Ellis Mee has shown more of an appetite to get on the ball,” he said on the Scrum V podcast.

“Louis Rees-Zammit has X-factor when he gets the ball in his hands but Ellis has worked off his wing to get more touches.

“If Rees-Zammit is our most dangerous player then why aren’t we encouraging him to get on the ball?

“I am sure the coaches are doing that and you can’t expect the ball to find its way to the wing.

“Shane Williams always used to work hard, we always tried to get George North and Alex Cuthbert on the ball as much as we could.

“I want to see more hunger from Louis to try and get his hands on the ball, and not just on the wing.

“His pride will probably be dented so when the opportunity comes off the bench hopefully we see someone who doesn’t want to relinquish a starting spot.”

Rees-Zammit returned to the international stage as a replacement against Argentina in Cardiff, and this is the first time since that he has missed out on being a starter.

The only other occasions that Wales have lined up without him in the back three under Tandy were against South Africa and Barbarians when England-based players were ineligible.

Former centre Tom Shanklin believes the management team are trying to fire up the wing.

“Louis Rees-Zammit is the most X-factor player that we have got,” he said on Scrum V.

“Maybe they are just trying to motivate him and get his hunger back.

“For me, he is still the number one wing we have got but Ellis Mee made a difference off the bench.

“I probably wouldn’t have dropped him. I’d still have him in there because you don’t lose your X-factor overnight.”

The challenge for Rees-Zammit is to ensure he is on the pitch from the first whistle against South Africa in Durban in the final game of a long 2025-26 season.