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Rugby correspondent Steffan Thomas pulls apart an intriguing Wales squad that makes sense in some ways but is surprising in others
Steve Tandy’s Wales squad is an interesting one(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)
In the cafe of Wales’ Vale of Glamorgan training base, the main focus on Tuesday lunchtime was around the Welsh Rugby Union’s decision to push forward Ospreys owners Y11 Sports & Media as their preferred owners for Cardiff.
Any other year a Wales squad announcement ahead of a Six Nations campaign would have been the only show in town but this time it was different. Given there are a combined total of 14 Cardiff and Ospreys players in the squad, this was a distraction Steve Tandy could do without. You can read the inside story of what’s going on behind the scenes here.
But undoubtedly the most significant selection in Tandy’s 38-man squad is the return of experienced tighthead prop Tomas Francis. JOIN OUR WALES RUGBY FACEBOOK PAGE Latest news, analysis and much more
The 33-year-old was the cornerstone of the Wales pack for eight years but has been away from Test rugby since the 2023 Rugby World Cup after signing for French outfit Provence.
But after announcing his decision to join Sale Sharks next season Francis has been parachuted straight back into the squad. Make no bones about it, Wales have struggled badly at tighthead and it is an area of weakness in Welsh rugby.
Keiron Assiratti had a decent autumn and Archie Griffin has potential but Francis is a top-end international class scrummager. Cast your eyes over both Cardiff and the Scarlets‘ defeats to Exeter Chiefs and Northampton Saints, respectively. No scrum, no win.
Francis should give Wales a far stronger platform at scrum time but historically there have been question marks of the conditioning of players in PRO D2. But it’s a case of needs must and Tandy would have been desperate to bring Francis back into the fold.
The other standout name is uncapped Leicester Tigers wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb who left Cardiff for another shot at the Gallagher Prem in the summer.
Hamer-Webb is a solid player with pace and power but has struggled to get into the Tigers team due to the presence of Adam Radwan, Ollie Hassell-Collins and Freddie Steward.
It is a surprise to see Tandy opt for a player based outside of Wales when Rio Dyer has been in prime form for the Dragons and will be available for every training session.
Scarlets wing Ellis Mee is rewarded for his excellent form while Mason Grady should add some much needed size and explosive power to the back-line.
Recalled Scarlets playmaker Sam Costelow will provide strong competition to the incumbent number 10 Dan Edwards while the defensive brilliance of Owen Watkin should solidify the midfield.
As has been the case over the past couple of years Wales’ big issue is a lack of physicality in the pack.
Ryan Elias and Dewi Lake are two big hookers but will need to ensure they find their targets more consistently in the lineout. But Elias is one player who can carry and dominate opposition physically.
Arguably the biggest omission is Leicester Tigers openside Tommy Reffell.
The 26-year-old was a regular under Wayne Pivac and Warren Gatland but he is clearly not rated as highly by Tandy. It is somewhat surprising given how much Wales struggled at the breakdown in the autumn following Jac Morgan’s injury.
But Tandy has opted for Scarlets skipper Josh Macleod in his place.
You’d be hard pressed to think of a player who deserves this more than Macleod who would surely have won more caps if it wasn’t for injury.
Macloed was outstanding in Wales’ victory over Japan in the summer and is tremendous at the breakdown, while the 29-year-old is a terrific captain.
If Wales are to have any chance of achieving competitiveness against England and France they need a strong set-piece while they must also gain parity physically.
Francis will definitely help at scrum time but the jury is out on whether there is the power in this squad to avoid another disappointing Six Nations.
