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.
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