This post was originally published on this site.
Steve Tandy has some much-needed selection headaches
The Wales-based players in Steve Tandy’s Six Nations squad will link up at the Vale Hotel tomorrow less than a fortnight before the championship opener against England at Allianz Stadium Twickenham.
Tandy will have at least 25 players out of his 38-man squad in training, with English and French clubs not duty bound to release players just yet. The players will get put through their paces ahead of a daunting start to the Championship against England.
These are the key selection calls facing Tandy.
JOIN OUR WALES RUGBY FACEBOOK PAGE! Latest news, analysis and much more
Who wears number 10 at Twickenham?
Dan Edwards is the man in possession of the most high-profile jersey in Welsh sport and has started the last five Test matches for Wales. The Ospreys playmaker is a player with a high ceiling and while there are areas of his game in need of improvement the positives by far outweigh the negatives.
But Scarlets outside-half Sam Costelow is putting some serious pressure on Edwards.
Costelow was left out of the autumn squad but has been outstanding for the Scarlets of late. The 25-year-old has had a rough ride on the international circuit to date and has been unfairly criticised by the Welsh public in much the same way Rhys Priestland copped some flak.
But Costelow is in career-best form and was magnificent as the Scarlets knocked over Ulster in Llanelli yesterday. His game management and kicking was top-class, while his pass to release Ellis Mee for the match-winning try at the death was a sight to behold.
Costelow has kicked on since last season and deserves a second crack at Test level. But Edwards himself is playing well and is a triple-threat player who will continue to improve.
Wales should embrace the fact they have two quality players at 10, while Jarrod Evans is no mug either.
Of course, who the centres are could influence in what direction Tandy goes at outside-half, especially if he selects Joe Hawkins and Eddie James.
The smart money is on Tandy backing Edwards to start at Twickenham but it is a good selection headache to have.
To prioritise defence or attack at HQ?
Tandy’s selection in midfield will tell us much about how Wales want to play.
Wales have two ball-playing 12s in Ben Thomas and Joe Hawkins, who were a mixed bag in the autumn.
Attack coach Matt Sherratt has always favoured a ball player at inside centre and while Thomas endured a tough autumn he has been outstanding for Cardiff of late.
But given the physical threat England will pose on the gain-line there is also the option of putting defence first, although some may call that damage limitation.
Owen Watkin is the best defensive centre in Welsh rugby and is the glue of the Ospreys midfield, while his solidity has been missed by Wales for the best part of the year.
Wales could go for size and power in midfield by opting for Eddie James and Watkin, with either Hawkins or Thomas on the bench.
This is an area where Tandy has to get his selection right or it will be a long afternoon in south west London.
How to utilise Mason Grady and what to do in the back three?
The Cardiff star is a player who ticks a lot of boxes. He has size, power, athleticism, pace and explosiveness but consistency has eluded the 23-year-old so far in his career.
Sherratt will be working on ways to get Grady into the game because he has the potential to be a destructive weapon for Wales. When Sherratt coached Cardiff, Grady was mainly used on the wing and it would be a surprise if it wasn’t the same for Wales.
The likes of George Ford and Fin Smith will bombard the Wales back three with high balls, backing the likes of Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck to win the aerial battle.
This is not the strongest part of Grady’s game, but he does bring so much size and power. Put Grady into a one-on-one situation and he will cause damage.
Blair Murray was Wales’ full-back during the autumn and while he brings a huge amount of positivity with ball in hand, he was exposed badly in the air.
Wales cannot afford to come second best in this area at Twickenham and Tandy must be seriously considering putting Louis Rees-Zammit at full-back.
Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam believes the 24-year-old’s best position is full-back and, given he is Wales’ most potent attacking weapon, it makes sense to put into a position where he will get more touches.
Josh Adams has played well for Cardiff over the past month and is good in the air but the form wing in Welsh rugby is Ellis Mee. The 22-year-old is also strong aerially, while he is a very intelligent footballer.
There is also the option of Tom Rogers and even Louie Hennessey on the wing.
Finding the right backrow balance
It’s somewhat stating the obvious, but getting the backrow balance right is vital if Wales are to be competitive against the tournament favourites.
Cardiff backrower Alex Mann was one of Wales’ better players in November and is technically excellent, while Harri Deaves has been on fire for the Ospreys.
But England are likely to select a formidable backrow based on size and explosive power, with the likes of Ben Earl, Guy Pepper and Chandler Cunningham-South serious physical specimens.
Tandy may feel he needs to select the biggest and most physical backrow available to him.
Aaron Wainwright has been one of Wales’ better players over the past couple of years but there will be a huge onus on the Dragons man to get over the gainline.
Olly Cracknell won the player of the match award in Wales’ victory over Japan in November and is another physical player who regularly performs well for Leicester Tigers against all of the forwards England will select on a regular basis.
Who starts at openside flanker will be fascinating.
Deaves has been on fire for the Ospreys with his relentless work rate and his explosiveness marking the 24-year-old out as one of the form backrowers in the United Rugby Championship. But unfortunately his size will always be questioned at Test level.
Tandy also has the option of Scarlets captain Josh Macleod; an extremely physical player who is extremely effective over the ball.
Just like the midfield, Tandy must find the optimum balance in the backrow.
Does Tomas Francis start?
We know tighthead prop isn’t an area of strength in Wales, hence the reason Tandy has recalled 33-year-old Tomas Francis, who has been plying his trade for Provence in the second tier of French rugby.
Keiron Assiratti has been scrummaging well but Wales lack depth in this area and, while England have injuries in the front-row, it could be a long afternoon for Tandy’s side at the set-piece.
The 77-times capped Francis brings huge experience and was the cornerstone of the Wales pack for eight years, winning two Six Nations titles, including the Grand Slam in 2019.
While the PRO D2 has the reputation of being a strong scrummaging league, it is nowhere near the pace and intensity of a Test match.
We do not know what sort of condition Francis will be in when he arrives in Wales camp, so going from playing against the likes of Grenoble and Carcassonne to packing down against the third best side in the world is a big ask.
But as they say in the Gallagher Prem: no scrum, no win.
Follow all of our channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Welsh rugby news. Sign up to our free daily newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here for all the breaking news.
