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Steve Tandy has named his Wales squad for the Six Nations with some big names missing out on selection
Wales head coach Steve Tandy has named his first Six Nations squad with plenty of talking points arising from his selection calls.
The 38-man squad includes 77-cap tighthead Tomas Francis, who returns to the Wales set-up for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup after leaving French side Provence for Sale Sharks ahead of next season. There is also the surprise inclusion of Leicester Tigers wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb, who is the only uncapped player involved other than Bath’s Louie Hennessey, who was included in Tandy’s autumn squad.
Several other players – including Sam Costelow, Mason Grady, James Botham and Ryan Elias – have returned to the fold after missing out on selection in the autumn.
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However, for all the returns, there are also some notable omissions, with Tandy admitting he had been mulling over tight selection calls as competition for places saw some big names miss out.
“We were in the office until 9.30pm last night making calls,” the Wales head coach admitted following Tuesday’s squad announcement.
“There were lots of phone calls last night. Loads of tough calls but they are really important. That’s where it is great for us as coaches, having real debate. In certain positions it is not what they aren’t doing, but what others are doing.”
With that in mind, here are some of the unluckiest players in Wales today.
Tommy Reffell
The Leicester Tigers man is arguably the biggest omission from Tandy’s squad, having been left out of the head coach’s plans for the second international campaign in a row.
Eyebrows were raised when Reffell was overlooked by the new head coach in the autumn, having been a mainstay in the squad since making his debut in 2022.
Even when Jac Morgan was injured in the opening game of the autumn against Argentina, the 26-year-old openside wasn’t brought into the squad, with Harri Deaves called up instead.
Reffell looked to have proved a point with a series of impressive performances for Leicester between Test windows, but it wasn’t enough for Tandy to reward him with the recall that many fans expected.
Instead, Josh Macleod has returned to the fold having been ruled out of the autumn with injury, with Tandy and his coaching team clearly keen on the Scarlets skipper who was Wales’ starting seven in Japan last summer, when Morgan was in Australia with the British & Irish Lions.
Reffell has made no secret of his desire to win back his spot in the Welsh squad, telling Premier Sports earlier this month: “Of course everyone wants to play for their country. I think the boys did a really good job in the autumn.
“I really want to get back in there. I need to play well here first. Hopefully my performances here [for Leicester] can put myself back in the picture to get there.”
Rio Dyer
Another eye-catching omission, Dyer has been left out of Tandy’s squad despite playing a key part in the Dragons’ recent revival.
The 26-year-old has regained the form which propelled him into the Wales squad back in 2022, with a series of fine performances for the Rodney Parade outfit in recent weeks seeing him score four tries in his last four matches.
Having waited 15 months for a win, Dyer has played a crucial role in helping the Dragons to four victories in their last six matches and he looked like a likely pick for Tandy, having made his international return against South Africa at the end of the autumn campaign.
However, he has been left out, with the pacey, powerful Hamer-Webb of Leicester Tigers a surprise inclusion at wing.
Tandy’s decision to opt for a player outside of Wales is an interesting one, considering Dyer would be available for every training session, but the Wales boss has been impressed with what he’s seen from former Cardiff man Hamer-Webb
“I’ve been up to Leicester and speaking to Geoff Parling,” he said of the new call-up on Tuesday. “Watched him for Cardiff as well and how he’s tracked in the environment.
“Linking into his mindset and when he’s had an opportunity he’s shown what he can do. Aerially, he is outstanding. He has a great character.”
Jake Ball and Ross Moriarty
Having both returned to Welsh rugby this season, Ball and Moriarty were both tipped for recalls to Wales’ Six Nations squad, having not played internationally for five and four years respectively.
While at the tailend of his career, Scarlets lock Ball has made an impressive start to life back in Wales and was seen as a potential solution to the Welsh pack’s lack of grunt, with Tandy’s forwards bullied at times during the autumn.
Ospreys back rower Moriarty was another physical, experienced option for Tandy to consider, with both he and Ball still having something to offer at Test level.
However, the Wales boss will have one eye on next year’s Rugby World Cup and has chosen to keep the faith in younger options in the second and back row.
Callum Sheedy
Having been included in Wales’ autumn squad after three years away, there is no place for Sheedy this time around.
The fly-half has been playing well for Cardiff this season and has kicked 33 points in his last five matches for the Arms Park side, but has been edged out by Scarlets star Costelow, who has forced his way into Tandy’s plans.
Just a fortnight ago, it looked unlikely that Costelow would be back from injury in time to be considered for a place in the squad, but an impressive return to action against Northampton Saints on Sunday helped to win over the Wales head coach.
It was that performance, together with the Scarlets’ narrow defeat to Bristol Bears last month, that Tandy cited when quizzed on his fly-half selection on Tuesday, as he admitted Sheedy’s omission was “gutting”.
“The way Sam responded to not being in the squad was excellent,” he said. “His performance v Bristol was outstanding and excellent v Northampton. [This is] reward for his form in those two games.
“[It’s] gutting for Sheedy who has been playing well. This is what we want as coaches where selection is really close.”
Morgan Morse
Morse won his first Wales cap in the autumn as he came off the bench against New Zealand before featuring as a replacement against the Springboks a week later.
However, the Ospreys man is another notable omission from the Six Nations squad, with Aaron Wainwright, Taine Plumtree, Macleod, Alex Mann, Deaves and Botham all chosen ahead of him.
One of the finest prospects in Wales, if not Europe, the 21-year-old will get plenty more opportunities on the international stage and may well be the next cab off the rank in case of injuries – but he can feel disappointed to miss out on a place in the initial squad.
Che Hope and other potential bolters
Ahead of Tuesday’s announcement, there were several uncapped prospects being touted as potential bolters for Tandy’s squad.
In the end, however, there was just one new face called in, with Hamer-Webb the only other uncapped player in the squad alongside Hennessey, who also featured in the autumn squad.
Among the potential bolters was Dragons scrum-half Che Hope, another who has played an important role in the recent turnaround in fortunes at Rodney Parade.
Viewed as a potential long-term successor to Tomos Williams in the Welsh number nine shirt, the 23-year-old can provide some serious X-factor in attack, with some commentators encouraging Tandy to take a chance on him and include him in his squad alongside Williams and Kieran Hardy.
However, it is the two-cap Reuben Morgan-Williams who has taken that spot, with the Wales boss choosing to go with more established names around the park.
The likes of Bristol Bears centre James Williams, Dragons forward Ryan Woodman and Harlequins centre Bryn Bradley will also have to wait for their opportunity, having been touted as potential bolters as well.
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