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Steve Tandy’s squad will be whittled down to a smaller group ahead of their Nations Championship campaign
Wales head coach Steve Tandy has named a 48-man extended squad for this summer’s Nations Championship.
There are six uncapped players in Tandy’s mammoth squad, which will be whittled down later in the summer as the squad travel to San Juan and Durban. Cardiff loosehead Rhys Barratt, Ospreys tighthead Ben Warren, Exeter Chiefs back-row Kane James, Dragons back-rows Harrison Keddie and Ryan Woodman, and Harlequins centre Bryn Bradley are the new faces – although Warren and Woodman have been in previous squads.
Barratt also served as a travelling reserve for a Six Nations match under Matt Sherratt last year. You can follow live updates from the Wales squad press conference here.
Wales take on the Barbarians in an uncapped match at Twickenham at the end of June, ahead of Tests against Fiji, Argentina and South Africa in July.
Jac Morgan is back in the squad after being injured in Tandy’s first game in charge back in November, while Max Llewellyn and Teddy Williams also return.
Leicester openside Tommy Reffell is called up by Tandy for the first time, while the likes of Ellis Bevan and Joe Roberts are handed recalls.
Tighthead props Tomas Francis and Archie Griffin both miss out. Francis has been given a break this summer, while Griffin is having surgery.
As reported by WalesOnline last month, Exeter back-row James has opted for Wales ahead of England – despite wearing the Red Rose at under-20s level.
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Harlequins centre Bradley – born in London but qualifying through his mother, who is from Newport– also receives his first call-up after featuring regularly in the Gallagher Prem.
European semi-finalists Dragons have five players in Tandy’s summer squad – all in the pack.
Naturally, Wales starters Aaron Wainwright and Ben Carter feature.
Those hoping for a call-up for Angus O’Brien, or a recall for the in-form Rio Dyer, will be disappointed. Hookers Elliot Dee and Brodie Coghlan also miss out.
Instead, Dillon Lewis gets his first Wales call-up since the summer tour of Australia two years ago.
The tighthead prop’s last cap for his country was in that year’s Six Nations.
Former U20s Grand Slam winner Keddie is the surprise choice from Rodney Parade, with his dynamic performances during the club’s run to the Challenge Cup last four rewarded.
Play-off chasing Cardiff have 12 players in Wales’ squad, while the Scarlets and Ospreys have nine and seven squad members respectively.
There are 14 English-based players in the squad, while Adam Beard is plying his trade in France with Montpellier.
Players will join up with Wales on a staggered basis depending on when their club season ends, with the first group of players due in camp at the start of June.
“Some players will finish next weekend and then some might not come into the squad until the 27th of June, so there’s a lot of staggering, that’s the reason for the extended squad,” said Tandy. “There will be an updated squad post the Barbarians game before we go into the Nations Championship.
“The priorities for us this summer are to keep growing the players, get them up to speed with the conditioning element and also skill development when they’re coming in. With smaller groups, sometimes it does help that we can get to work with these boys even closer than normal. It’s about getting everyone up to speed then linked to our game model as well.”
Wales summer extended squad
Forwards (27):
Rhys Barratt (Cardiff), Rhys Carre (Saracens), Nicky Smith (Leicester), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Liam Belcher (Cardiff), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Dewi Lake (Ospreys) Evan Lloyd (Cardiff), Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff), Dillon Lewis (Dragons), Sam Wainwright (Cardiff), Ben Warren (Ospreys), Adam Beard (Montpellier), Ben Carter (Dragons), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter), Freddie Thomas (Gloucester), Teddy Williams (Cardiff), James Botham (Cardiff), Olly Cracknell (Leicester), Kane James (Exeter), Harrison Keddie (Dragons), Alex Mann (Cardiff), Jac Morgan (Ospreys), Taine Plumtree (Scarlets), Tommy Reffell (Leicester), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), Ryan Woodman (Dragons).
Backs (21):
Ellis Bevan (Cardiff), Kieran Hardy (Ospreys), Reuben Morgan-Williams (Ospreys), Tomos Williams (Gloucester), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Dan Edwards (Ospreys), Jarrod Evans (Harlequins), Bryn Bradley (Harlequins), Joe Hawkins (Scarlets), Louie Hennessey (Bath), Eddie James (Scarlets), Max Llewellyn (Gloucester), Joe Roberts (Scarlets) Ben Thomas (Cardiff), Josh Adams (Cardiff), Mason Grady (Cardiff), Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Leicester), Ellis Mee (Scarlets), Blair Murray (Scarlets), Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol), Tom Rogers (Scarlets).
