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A baker’s dozen haven’t managed to take to the field for Steve Tandy’s side this summer
It’s been a busy summer for Wales, with this weekend’s Nations Championship clash with South Africa bringing a hectic campaign to a close.
After an uncapped warm-up against the Barbarians in London to start their summer, there have been Nations Championship fixtures against Fiji in Cardiff and Argentina in San Juan.
This weekend’s game against the Springboks is the fourth match in as many weekends, with Wales having played in four different cities and three different continents.
Understandably, Steve Tandy has had to rely on a number of players – with 50 having been called up by Wales at one point or another this summer.
The vast majority of those will have seen some action this summer.
Some have been a constant in Tandy’s matchday squad. After he named his side to face South Africa this weekend, just eight players are in line to feature in all four matches.
Captain Dewi Lake will start his fourth straight match, as will Dillon Lewis, Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright and Blair Murray.
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Ryan Elias, Ben Warren and Joe Hawkins are the other three to have featured.
Others, like last week’s debutant Kane James, have seen fewer minutes.
Still, the Exeter back-row did get on the pitch.
Not everyone has enjoyed that luxury.
From the initial 48-man squad, three were forced to pull out before Wales took to the field – with Liam Belcher, Keiron Assiratti and Louie Hennessey all ruled out with injuries.
After the Barbarians match, Tandy then whittled down the wider extended squad to a 33-man group for the Nations Championship.
That meant that there were some players who hadn’t featured against the Barbarians who were let go without hitting a ruck in anger.
A number of those were based in England, demonstrating the perils of linking up with the Wales squad late.
Dafydd Jenkins, Olly Cracknell, Ellis Bevan, Jarrod Evans, Bryn Bradley, Joe Roberts and Gabriel Hamer-Webb all missed out, with Jenkins needing to undergo shoulder injury.
In particular, uncapped Bradley felt like a missed opportunity to see what the Harlequins centre could off.
Wales have kept faith in Joe Hawkins and Eddie James for much of the summer, but have reverted to Ben Thomas and Max Llewellyn – who started five Tests together in 2025 – for the final match.
A look at former U20s midfielder Bradley in the final match of the summer might have given Tandy something else to think about as he builds depth ahead of next year’s World Cup.
Freddie Thomas also missed out, but has since been called up to face South Africa this weekend. The likes of Harrison Keddie, Rhys Barratt, Tom Rogers and Ryan Woodman also missed out on the squad – but they did feature against the Baa-Baas in London.
Gareth Thomas and Mason Grady ended up making the 33-man squad, but have not seen any Nations Championship action after both played against the Barbarians.
Of Tandy’s smaller squad, there’s just a handful who didn’t feature at all this summer.
Cardiff hooker Evan Lloyd, who hasn’t won a cap since last year’s Six Nations, has not been involved, while his Arms Park team-mate Sam Wainwright has not been able to force Lewis or Warren out of the matchday squad.
Dragons hooker Elliot Dee was a late call-up this week, but won’t feature on the weekend.
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