Glawio Rugby

Rugby Blog primarily focusing on Welsh rugby

Tumblr ↗

  • Welsh Domestic Rugby Season Review – 2025-2026

    Welsh Domestic Rugby Season Review – 2025-2026

    In what has started to become a familiar pattern for Welsh rugby, results in Europe ended primarily with Round of 16 appearances while in the URC, results fluctuated between the bottom and middle of the table. However, given the off-field uncertainty in Welsh rugby, all four teams should be commended for what they have achieved.

    Cardiff

    URC: 6th, Quarter-Finals

    Europe: Challenge Cup Round of 16

    Overall Grade: B

    Cardiff were largely written off early following the departure of Matt Sherratt, but even more optimistic fans wouldn’t have expected them to get as far as they did. Under Corniel van Zyl, Cardiff largely changed identities from a fast attacking side to a defensive team that’s very hard to beat at home; they lost one game all season in both competitions (the Scarlets derby) and were joint third in the URC for tackle completion (2% behind first place) and second for tackles made. This was also a statistical improvement on last season, where they had statistically the best defence in the league.

    The difference was more than numerical, though. Off the field, Cardiff have been largely successful with player retention and international representation, each speaking to the club’s solid standing at regional level. While Scarlets fell far behind their impressive showing last season, Cardiff stayed around the same place up until the end, beating most of the teams in their ball park consistently (granted, most were home games). Wins against Leinster and Stormers showed they could win the war of attrition against the top competitors, and very few games (Glasgow, Bulls, Exeter, and arguably Ospreys in the winter) looked like hopeless endeavours. Overall, if rumours of new signings prove true, Cardiff could well be on the up.

    Player of the Season: Tough call, with the playmaking axis of Callum Sheedy and Ben Thomas having improved considerably from last season, but Dan Thomas’ stats speak for himself. Top of the league for tackles made, near the top for turnovers, and Cardiff’s primary breakdown threat, he won multiple PotM awards as he kept the team in the game. While his relentless workrate isn’t unique in the Welsh game, his impact was clear as he consistently made starting XVs over established internationals.

    Breakthrough Player: Rhys Barratt deserves a mention after a strong season where he supplanted Southworth and Domachowski with his consistent scrum and defensive workrate, but Tom Bowen easily takes this. Receiving multiple requests from past players to be upgraded to the Wales team, Bowen built upon his limited showings last season to become a recurring member of Cardiff’s deep backline. His flair for try scoring his backed by a strong kicking game and unmatched agility, and while he may be too green for the senior squad, he’ll be an integral part of the U20s campaign.

    Underrated player: Easy call; having spent most of the season on the bench, out of position, or otherwise overlooked, Ioan Lloyd more than grasped his opportunity in the 10 jersey come the end of the season. While he can’t match Sheedy’s overall playmaking ability, Lloyd is a pure triple threat with his much quicker running game; Cardiff’s attack is completely transformed when he hits the field. 

    Disappointing Player: While evidently strong enough to impress Tandy, Sam Wainwright hasn’t really kept up with Assiratti or Sebastian in the tighthead rotation. Of his 11 appearances, 4 of which lasted longer than 30 minutes, two of which being the Bulls and Exeter games where Cardiff’s setpiece really struggled. The Scarlets had one of the league’s stronger scrums last season, but Wainwright hasn’t really boosted Cardiff’s pack in the same way, though he has shown glimpses of his potential at times.

    Dragons 

    URC: 15th

    Europe: Challenge Cup Semi-Finals

    Overall Grade: B

    It wouldn;t take much to improve on Dragons’ poor last season, but Tiatia has taken clear measures to ensure the region has a path forward, and towards the winter they really started to show how the team had grown. Strong showings against Connacht and Scarlets made it clear that at their best, Dragons can be dangerous with ball in hand while grinding opponents down with their physicality, defensive workrate, and multiple breakdown threats. While their attack still has a ways to go, and they very much remain a hot and cold team (compare their wins to their obliterations by Benetton and Bulls), the culture around the team is far more optimistic.

    Of course, with how their European run ended, optimism is a justified response. After Cardiff and Ospreys fell short, few would’ve expected the Dragons to take down Top14 title contenders Stade Francais, yet they punched above their weight all the way to the semis against eventual champions Montpellier. Under Tiatia, the team has more than redefined their identity and while the loss of Aaron Wainwright will be felt, they’ve managed well without him , so it remains to be seen how their new signings can fill the void. 

    Player of the Season: Wainwright is probably Wales’ overall player of the season, so this is pretty straightforward. Though he’ll be missed, a lack of injuries and his team’s improved performance has allowed Waino to go out with a bang, finishing as one of the league’s top carriers despite also being away with Wales for large spells. Still, Ben Carter deserves an honourable mention for his work in leading the Dragons to this point, in addition to his defensive work being among the best in the league, and rightly being awarded for it.

    Breakthrough Player: With Wales’ scrum-half depth only getting older, Che Hope looks to be the future of Welsh rugby in the 9 jersey. Though his appearances were limited by injury, those appearances were exceptional, keeping up with club internationals like Rio Dyer in attacking plays and briefly supplanting mainstay Rhodri Williams in the pecking order. Had it not been for his injury, he also would’ve certainly been involved in the play-off run in Europe, but he’ll only be stronger for the experience next season.

    Underrated Player: Aneurin Owen doesn’t really feel like a “breakthrough” player given his consistent performances for the region, but as the quality of the Dragon’s game improves, he rises to match it. 1337 URC minutes played, and similar defensive stats to the PREM’s Nick Tompkins certainly paints a strong picture of his abilities, and at 25, a Wales call-up seems likely at this rate.

    Disappointing Player: Though somewhat unfair given his injury profile, Mackenzie Martin was one of the few new signings for Dragons who didn;t really click, and he doesn;t appear to have been offered a contract by either Cardiff or Dragons to remain. Harrison Keddie and, of course, Wainwright, knocked him far enough down the pecking order to limit his minutes, with him only making 4 appearances and only one lasting 80 minutes. Without injury, it’s unclear how he may have faired, but ultimately, he wasn’t really needed.

    Ospreys

    URC: 11th

    Europe: Challenge Cup Round of 16

    Overall Grade: C

    It was more of the same for the Ospreys, but given the lengthy injuries dealt to Morgan and Lake plus the incredible adversity faced off the field, that is still an achievement. Barring their one-sided demolitions to Leinster and Munster, their URC run was marked by their usual tendency to punch far above their weight, taking down Ulster and winning the Welsh Shield off the back of their consistent derby victories (only losing once to Cardiff away).

    Still, their usually powerful scrum was the least powerful in the league; although Botha and Henry are comfortable winning scrum penalties, the scrum wasn’t the weapon it usually is, and the lineout wasn’t much better. Mark Jones has made some signings to try and cope with the considerable exodus of starting players; not just Lake and Morgan, but Jack Walsh and James Fender are notable departures. Where the team goes from here is the big question; disruption is inevitable, but if the Ospreys are anything, it’s resilient.

    Player of the Season: James Ratti won almost every end-of-season award for the club, and it’s easy to see why; consistently making powerful carriers into opposing defenses, it’s something of a surprise not to see him in the wider Wales squad. He looks more comfortable as a blindside than a lock, where he can focus on taking lineouts and punching holes. His physicality being a big point of difference in a relatively small Ospreys backrow, he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

    Breakthrough Player: No clear choice here; Ryan Smith easily wins signing of the season for the club, while Lewis Lloyd could develop into an international hooker and will only get more opportunities with Dewi Lake’s departure. Iestyn Hopkins wins this time, though; playing 4 times the number of minutes he usually does, and some impressive attacking achievements in that time too. With Dan John and Tom Rogers joining, he’ll relish the competition for starting spaces at fullback.

    Underrated Player: Usually overshadowed by his Wales international cousin, Steffan Thomas has been a real asset to the Ospreys’ scrum in Gareth’s absence. He’s the kind of prop that seems to be a rare breed in Wales; not particularly outstanding around the park, but a solid brick wall in the scrum that provides a platform for the rest of the pack. Usually behind Gareth and Garyn Phillips, he’s taken real strides forward this season.

    Disappointing Player: It was a good start, but Ross Moriarty didn’t really stamp out a place in the Ospreys’ starting squad by the end of the season. This is another case where there isn’t a clear option, but much hype was had when 50+ cap Moriarty signed only for him to be replaced by 3 non-internationals. Jac leaving will likely earn him more gametime, but he’ll need to work his way back in. 

    Scarlets

    URC: 14th

    Europe: Champions Cup Pool Stage

    Overall Grade: D

    There was a general sense of optimism this season for the Scarlets, who made playoffs the season before and entered as the predicted strongest Welsh region, but it didn’t take long for the warning signs to start. Winless in the first block, they bounced back quickly only to go back to losing ways in the Welsh derbies. Bringing in Nigel Davies helped get them a more solid foundation, and they certainly threw some punches against elite European opposition Pau and Northampton, but it wasn’t enough for any really tangible “win” this year. A draw with Dragons in their final game left them with some dignity, but there are plenty of problems to fix.

    Sam Costelow’s long-term injuries didn;t help, as it exposed the Scarlets’ plan to play the season with only one out-and-out senior fly-half; it’s a position too important to under-invest. Rumours of Gareth Anscombe’s return are appreciated, as are the numerous New Zealanders aiming to bolster the very Aotearoa-filled Parc y Scarlets, but a drastic change in strategy will be most important of all.

    Player of the Season: The Scarlets really like New Zealanders, don’t they? I was aware of Fletcher Anderson as an up-and-comer with Canterbury, but the impact he’s had on the Scarlets’ gameplay has been the highlight of their season. He only joined in the winter, yet found himself near the top of the carrying charts and was a constant get-out-of-jail-free card when the Scarlets needed a momentum generator. If the Scarlets played well, chances are he was a MotM contender. The Ospreys haven’t managed to keep Jack Walsh, but Anderson could be a real project player for Welsh Rugby.

    Breakthrough Player: Costelow’s absence was felt, but Carwyn Leggatt-Jones certainly held his own despite still being in his teens. While not to the same level as his influence at U20s level, Leggatt-Jones more than filled in with consistency at the tee and strong game management despite his inexperience. Josh Morse has also done well to have played as much as he has, though the Scarlets’ scrum was a pale image of last season’s strength.

    Underrated Player: A special mention to Archer Holz, who has kept the experienced Henry Thomas out of the 3 jersey and won MotM against Zebre, but Jarrod Taylor also deserves his accolades. Not a first-choice player, but always managed to find a way to contribute; over the ball, carrying into contact, and scoring plenty of tries. Yet another victim of the Scarlets’ persistent disciplinary issues, but has proved worth the price.

    Disappointing Player: Taine Plumtree seems to generate yellow cards wherever he goes nowadays, but his drop-off from last season is much less felt compared to Marnus van der Merwe. Strong enough to earn a Springbok call-up last year, Marnus quickly fell behind the returning Ryan Elias and never really got back in, though he was still a constant threat over the ball. He’s one of those valuable squad players who can bolster the set-piece, but when the Scarlets were struggling, he didn’t really do much to rejuvenate the pack.

    Welsh URC Team of the Season

    1. Rhys Barratt
    2. Ryan Elias
    3. Javan Sebastian
    4. James Ratti
    5. Ben Carter
    6. Fletcher Anderson
    7. Dan Thomas
    8. Aaron Wainwright
    9. Johan Mulder
    10. Dan Edwards
    11. Tom Bowen
    12. Ben Thomas
    13. Eddie James
    14. Rio Dyer
    15. Angus O’Brien

  • Wales Nations Championship Squad Reaction – Summer 2026

    Wales Nations Championship Squad Reaction – Summer 2026

    With 6 uncapped players, several recalls, and some surprising omissions, there’s a lot to discuss about the new-look Wales squad for the upcoming Nations Championship. With four games to play, including an uncapped Barbarians fixture on the 27th of June, the larger squad size is an indications of Tandy’s choice to maximise his depth of options and look at as many players as possible who could be in the frame for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. 48 is slightly higher than Fiji’s 45-man squad, but Tandy has stressed that after the 27th, there will be an updated set of players who will travel to San Juan to play Argentina; how much the squad will be trimmed is to yet to be seen.

    PROPS

    If you’ve read my initial squad prediction, half of this will look familiar. At loosehead, Nicky Smith and Rhys Carré have been strong performers in recent campaigns and Gareth Thomas has certainly proven capable of getting the job done at this level in the past, recent form aside. From there, Rhys Barratt has been nominated as an uncapped 4th player for the Barbarians test, one he deserves having started most of Cardiff’s games this season and scrummaged well above his weight class. How well his attributes carry on the international stage will be tested, but his workrate is hard to deny.

    At tighthead, it’s a lot more interesting. Tomas Francis has been rested to manage his minutes for the World Cup, and Archie Griffin has undergone elective surgery, so Kieron Assiratti should remain the front-runner. The again, the return of Dillon Lewis presents an interesting prospect; he;s missed most of the Dragons’ season through injury, but has played brilliantly on his return and certainly has the experience to back up his merits. Sam Wainwright continues with the squad after the Six Nations, but Ben Warren’s recall is also warranted, as both a strong scrummager and powerful carrier, one could see him challenging Archie Griffin for a starting jersey in some years time.

    HOOKER

    Despite his injury, Dewi Lake has been recalled into the Wales camp, though when exactly he’ll return is unclear. Ryan Elias will likely serve as the first choice unti then given his strong form at club level and consistent performances throughout the Six Nations. Interestingly, neither Lake nor Jac Morgan have been named as captain, as Tandy plans to make this choice later in the summer.

    Interestingly, there is no recall for Elliot Dee, despite his solid form for Dragons and his past international experience. Perhaps Tandy prefers Liam Belcher’s higher workrate and stronger carrying game; the Cardiff captain also brings leadership qualities that Tandy tends to look for from his older players. Similarly, Evan Lloyd has been selected over Brodie Coghlan; though having a mostly less reliable setpiece, Lloyd is a lot faster than the other hooker options, and could bring considerable dynamism off the bench if he impresses Tandy.

    LOCKS

    Mostly predictable; Dafydd Jenkins & Ben Carter continue their powerful partnership from the Six Nations, while Adam Beard has been retained despite his less-than-stellar campaign. Freddie Thomas also earns a recall, though Gloucester tend to prefer deploying him at blindside than in the second-row. His bench utility will be helpful, as an aggressive, forward-charging lock. Rhys Davies’ omission is unfortunate, but certainly seems to be next in line.

    Teddy Williams’ return, however, is much appreciated provided he’ll be back in time for the Barbarians game. Without Davies, only he, Carter, and Woodman will be available, so hopefully he recaptures the form he showed against Japan last summer He may be better suited for a bench role against Carter and Jenkins as he lacks their power but brings more speed, while his defensive workrate is something Tandy clearly values from his second-rowers.

    BACK ROW

    A beefy category with a lot to talk about. The prodigal son’s return aside, a backrow combo of Mann, Morgan, and Wainwright seems most likely; no need to fix what isn’t broken, though James Botham may work his way in. Taine Plumtree and Olly Cracknell remain after mixed performances from the Six Nations, but their unique qualities are obvious to those who’ve seen them at their best.

    After many requests, Tommy Reffell makes his return to action as the likely backup 7 to Jac Morgan. Then again, the combo of Morgan at 6 and Reffell at 7 worked well for Wales in the 2025 Six Nations, so that’ll always be an option if Wales want to target the breakdown. His more frequent leadership experiences at Leicester will be valuable around camp as well.

    Ryan Woodman offers a larger and more physical option to Alex Mann at blindside, and is certainly someone who will interest Tandy going forward, but Harrison Keddie is the more interesting pick. Uncapped at 29, his versatility across the backrow and strong form during the Dragons’ playoff rush in Europe earn him a spot. Whether or not he’ll be retained when they cut down the squad will be interesting, though, as he otherwise doesn’t have an obvious standout attribute.

    Lastly, following his return from injury, Kane James has elected to throw his lot in with Wales. Starring for England U20s in the 2025 U20s Six Nations, James has a more dynamic carrying style than the larger Wainwright and Cracknell at 8, though is no less efficient when it comes to scoring tries. He’s quickly worked his way into Exeter’s senior 23, and if he stays with the squad, he’ll be making another step up to international rugby, but with Wales lacking much youth at 8 besides Morgan Morse, Kane James gives a different but equally effective option for Tandy to look at.

    SCRUM-HALF

    As predicted, the same 3 from the Six Nations Squad remain. A consistent issue has been Tomos Williams’ complete monopoly over the 9 jersey, as Hardy and Morgan-Williams haven’t had much chance to show their skillsets when they only get to play around 5 minutes a game. With Tomos missing from the Barbarians fixture, it’ll be interesting to see how Tandy reshuffles things, as Hardy hasn’t really impressed when he’s been in the drivers’ seat.

    To compensate for the ageing depth in the position, Ellis Bevan has been added to the squad; while Archie Hughes or the injured Che Hope are younger options, Bevan has the experience of previous Wales camps under Warren Gatland, so it makes sense for Tandy to want to see what he;s capable of. Dane Blacker can feel hard done by, though.

    FLY-HALF

    One of the more understated but interesting selections. These are the three most popular options, but of the three, Sam Costelow and Jarrod Evans are both injured, which begs the question of how Tandy plans to cover the position should they fail to recover in time for the start of the tour. Joe Hawkins seems the most likely option, given how much rugby he’s played there for Scarlets, but it’s hardly ideal.

    Luckily, Dan Edwards can more than lead the way in this position; after a strong end to his Six Nations campaign, Edwards is likely to be the Ospreys’ star player with Jac and Dewi leaving, and his attacking flourish gives him a serious edge at this level. Definitely one player to watch this summer, as he’ll aim to widen the gap between him and Costelow.

    CENTRES

    Surprisingly, Tandy has selected a lot of centres for this summer tour, suggesting a desire to try out multiple different combinations. Joe Hawkins and Eddie James will be the safe bet to continue their partnership from the Six Nations, but with many believing James would be better suited at 12 than 13, we could see a different look to Wales’ midfield by the end.

    Max Llewellyn and Joe Roberts have been included off the back of their excellent form for club level, and Llewellyn will look to continue his partnership with Ben Thomas. Thomas himself has been one of Cardiff’s bets players this season, though at international level he looks a few levels behind Hawkins, which may hurt his colleague. Roberts, meanwhile, was considered a great partner for James in midfield this time last year, and his pace out wide would be a strong weapon alongside the larger man’s carrying power.

    More eye-catchingly, Louie Hennessey has been retained after starting for Bath in the Champion’s Cup semi-final, and his Wales U20s partner Bryn Bradley has been called in. Bradley is especially interesting as his playstyle is more similar to Eddie James, but he is explicitly an inside centre for Harlequins, leaning credence to the theory that Tandy wishes to build his midfield that way.

    OUTSIDE BACKS

    The same outside backs as the Six Nations, though now we have a clearer understanding of where they all fall in the pecking order. Josh Adams’ experience makes him the most likely starter, while Ellis Mee generally occupies the other wing, though his injury makes it unclear when he will be available for selection. Gabriel Hamer-Webb is another potential starter, as he’s only gotten better as he gets more game time for Leicester Tigers, though he’ll be missing for the Barbarians test.

    Mason Grady also gets in, despite also being injured, so Rio Dyer can feel hard done by given his persistently strong form for Dragons. So can Jacob Beetham, who’s also been crucial to the end of Cardiff’s season, and especially considering the unresolved issues at fullback. Louis Rees-Zammit hasn’t really clicked with the role yet at this level, and Blair Murray still struggles with handling contested high balls, so Tom Rogers may be on the cards for the Barbarians test, especially given his move to Ospreys seems motivated by his desire to play 15.

  • My Wales Nations Championship Team – Summer 2026

    My Wales Nations Championship Team – Summer 2026

    With the Nations Championship on the horizon, Wales will look to build upon their much improved showing towards the end of the Six Nations amid regional uncertainty in an all-new competition. Faced with the strongest teams in the Southern Hemisphere, this will present a considerable challenge given how comfortably South Africa and Argentina defeated them in the Autumn, but it presents an exciting opportunity to show how much the squad has improved since then under Tandy. While most of these fixtures are likely too much for Wales in their current state, they will target home wins over Fiji, Japan, and Australia, who have their own struggles to exploit.

    Being the first of its kind, it’s difficult to predict what exactly Tandy will opt to do with his initial draft. To those unaware, the Nations Championship will run in two separate blocks; one in July, the other in November. Most teams seem to be assembling training squads of over 40 players (even Fiji, the only tier 2 nation in the tournament, has a 45 man training squad), and then narrowing them down to travel. Wales will likely do something similar; a training squad of around 42-45, then a final travelling team to take on Argentina and South Africa in the summer before tweaks are made for the Autumn.

    There’s also a Barbarians fixture just before the tournament begins, which falls outside of the international window. As a result, extra players will be fielded to accommodate this, and it can serve as an extra audition for home-based players to stake their claim for the travelling squad.

    With all that said, I’ll be discussing my picks for the summer block of the 2026 Nations Championship.

    PROP

    Props are simultaneously well-established, but depth remains a concern. On the loosehead side, Nicky Smith and Rhys Carré are sure to travel, as they remain two of PREM rugby’s most reliable props; the latter is more likely to start, given his excellent Six Nations form, but they’re similarly effective. On the other side, Tomas Francis has also been an excellent scrummager, massively improving the consistency of Wales’ setpiece, while Kieron Assiratti returns from injury and will look to continue his form from the Autumn. His results for Cardiff have been shaky, but he’s usually better on the international field.

    The Barbarians fixture complicates things, however, as both of Wales’ starting props are based outside of Wales, and there’s been little development given to other players beneath them. Gareth Thomas is a safe bet, as despite his inconsistent form, he is a proven international and solid scrummager. Danny Southworth travelled with the squad in the Autumn, but has been usurped by the younger Rhys Barratt for Cardiff. Barratt has the most consistent scrummaging record of the remaining looseheads, and makes a lot more tackles than any of them, though Kemsley Mathias and Garyn Phillips have had strong moments of their own.

    On the tighthead side, Archie Griffin won’t be available for the Barbarians game, but has been a constant when fit. His form may limit his gametime, but since returning from injury, Christian Coleman has performed very well for the Dragons in Europe. Adam Jones has noted his international potential before, though he has yet to prove this in his two appearances so far. Ben Warren of the Ospreys is also a strong carrier and scrummager, while Sam Wainwright could return after being recalled in the Six Nations. 

    Against a scrum as powerful as South Africa, the front row will need to be at their best. Any selection of the aforementioned props will be justified.

    My Choices: Nicky Smith, Rhys Carré, Gareth Thomas, Rhys Barratt, Tomas Francis, Kieron Assiratti, Christian Coleman, Archie Griffin

    Injury Cover: Danny Southworth, Ben Warren

    HOOKER

    Inconveniently, Dewi Lake has undergone surgery for his shoulder injury and is unlikely to tour, at least initially.  This at least gives Tandy the chance to look into Wales’ depth beneath that, especially with both Ryan Elias and Elliot Dee available and playing well. Their experience will be extremely valuable against the world-class set pieces of the Southern Hemisphere, though Elias is likely ahead in the pecking order after a strong Six Nations showing and his much improved lineout darts.

    A space may be saved for Lake’s return, so one more hooker is reasonable. Liam Belcher was this man in the Six Nations, but his lineout darts have been inconsistent for Cardiff and Elliot Dee shares a lot of his strengths, so he may be deemed excess resources. Brodie Coghlan, meanwhile, is very strong for his age and is also very active in the loose. He didn’t leave the biggest impression in the Autumn, but having returned from injury and helped the Dragons reach a European semi-final, he looks the more reliable option.

    My Choices: Ryan Elias, Elliot Dee, Brodie Coghlan

    Injury Cover: Liam Belcher

    LOCK

    This feels like a problem position, as most of Wales’ locks are based outside the country and not all of them are fit or in great form. Dafydd Jenkins and Ben Carter are excellent, however, managing an exceptional workrate with good leadership and lineout work, while still being large enough to carry into contact. Adding to that, Rhys Davies adds even more ballast in physical confrontations, and has had a solid season with the Ospreys.

    If Teddy Williams was fit, those four would form a well-balanced and exciting combination, but with him missing out, Adam Beard is likely being retained for his lineout management and experience. His Six Nations performance was poor, but Montpellier are achieving great things in the TOP14 and Challenge Cup and he regularly plays 80 minutes for them. The options underneath him have less to work with by comparison.

    Freddie Thomas was part of the Six Nations squad and is probably the best alternative to Beard, though having been part of the squad since Autumn 2024, his impact hasn’t really been felt. James Fender and Seb Davies play similar roles to Beard, but their recall would be surprising, as would the recently recovered Christ Tshiunza. James Ratti, meanwhile has been in much stronger form for the Ospreys, though mostly at blindside flanker. Still, Tandy and Sherrat have deployed him at lock, and his versatility could earn him a bench spot for the Barbarians test.

    My Choices: Dafydd Jenkins, Ben Carter, Rhys Davies, Freddie Thomas, James Ratti

    Injury Cover: Adam Beard, Christ Tshiunza

    BACK ROW

    Jac is Back! As one Welsh captain leaves, another enters. While the combo of Alex Mann, James Botham, and Aaron Wainwright worked wonders towards the end of the Six Nations, only Waino is really a match for Jac’s world-class qualities. Those four in combination are a balanced set that can challenge opposing breakdowns and set the physical tone for the rest of the squad, and the remaining picks will mostly be players who can synergise or cover in the case of injuries.

    Firstly, though his disciplinary weaknesses are well-documented, Taine Plumtree comfortably fits in due to his versatility and dynamism. He shouldn’t start, but Wales have struggled to make good use of their bench and Plumtree is a prime candidate to explore that option. Also being retained from the Six Nations, Ryan Woodman has continued his strong form and could surpass Alex Mann at blindside in the future given his larger size and stronger carrying game. He also adds extra cover at lock, as Wales-based locks will be needed for the Barbarians game.

    As for the remaining 3 spaces, some 8 cover will be needed. Olly Cracknell remains in strong form for Leicester and played well against Japan, but otherwise hasn’t been too noteworthy, and with Wainwright joining the Tigers in September, his continued place in their starting squad isn’t guaranteed. Taulupe Faletau is once again injured, so new faces may be warranted. Alun Lawrence and Morgan Morris continue to excel for their clubs, with the former being more of a lineout presence and tackle machine while the latter does more work at the breakdown. At their best, they match each other well, and are a fair bit younger than Cracknell. Morgan Morse is an even younger option with a big future, but has played a lot less rugby for the Ospreys as of late following Morris’ return.

    If a third 7 is needed, Josh Macleod is a safe bet given his jackaling skills, though Tommy Reffell and Taine Basham are in strong form too and would deserve a recall at some point. Dan Thomas has also played some great rugby for Cardiff lately, but lacks the versatility of the above options. Ross Moriarty would be a more experienced option at 6 or 8, but has fallen off a little towards the end of the season.

    My Choices: Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright, Alex Mann, James Botham, Taine Plumtree, Ryan Woodman, Morgan Morris, Olly Cracknell

    Injury Cover: Josh Macleod, Alun Lawrence, Ross Moriarty

    SCRUM-HALF

    This is simple; Tomos Williams has picked up a shoulder injury in Gloucester’s win over Sale, but is expected to be fit and available for international duty. Kieran Hardy and Reuben Morgan-Williams remain solid deputies, and Che Hope will miss the international season with injury. Should Tomos’ condition not improve in time, Dane Blacker has played very well for the Scarlets in Gareth Davies’ absence, and seems the most likely to upset the pecking order.

    FLY-HALF

    Dan Edwards signed off a mixed Six Nations campaign with an exceptional performance against Italy, and looks primed to be the starting fly-half for this tour. His only real competition, Sam Costelow, has been injured and is expected to miss out, though will likely return for the summer. Frustratingly for Tandy, Jarrod Evans is also injured, disrupting the 10-12 axis on the replacements bench that Wales have relied on since Warren Gatland left. Therefore, some big changes will have to be made.

    Callum Sheedy is the clear next cab off the ranks in their absence. He’s one of Cardiff’s most important players, and his goal-kicking has improved considerably while his playmaking skills are as strong as ever. How much gametime he gets is down to Edwards’ form, but he’s a step above the competition in this position. Finally, while not primarily a fly-half, this is the perfect opportunity to cap Angus O’Brien. As we’ll cover later, fullback is a problem position for Wales, and his strong kicking game and leadership skills make him a leading candidate for the role, especially since Louis Rees-Zammit will miss the Barbarians game.

    My Choices: Dan Edwards, Callum Sheedy, Angus O’Brien

    Injury Cover: Ioan Lloyd

    CENTRES

    Joe Hawkins and Eddie James’ partnership was one of the biggest victories in selection in the Six Nations, and it would certainly be a surprise if Tandy dropped it all together. That said, there is a school of thought that James’ powerful carrying makes him a better 12 than 13, with a faster outside centre partnering him giving Wales a stronger attacking edge in the midfield.

    If the former tactic is preferred, Ben Thomas may keep his spot despite a disappointing past two campaigns. His form remains strong at Cardiff, though he can’t physically impact the game like Hawkins. Louie Hennessey is a much easier recall, as his form for Bath is consistently impressive despite his limited gametime, and he fits the mold of 23 people generally want to see outside of Eddie James.

    Otherwise, Max Llewellyn’s return has yielded strong results for Gloucester so far, and is another contender for the 13 jersey. Joe Roberts and Macs Page have also out in good shifts for the Scarlets in the meantime, while Owen Watkin’s defensive skills were on show when the Ospreys clinched the Welsh shield.

    My Choices: Joe Hawkins, Eddie James, Louie Hennessey, Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas

    Injury Cover: Joe Roberts, Owen Watkin

    OUTSIDE BACKS

    Another of Wales’ deepest positions, though not without some concerns, as Ellis Mee and Mason Grady have sustained injuries and may not be available for selection. I’ll assume for the time being that they won’t be available. Josh Adams is likely to retain his spot given his Six Nations consistency and experience, though from there its anyone’s guess who will come in on the wings.

    Rio Dyer has been one of the form wingers in Wales this season, and having missed out on opportunities throughout the year, this seems like the right time to give him a second chance. Tom Rogers has been less consistent, but his international credentials are proven. Whether he plays on the wing or at fullback is a bigger question, as signing for the Ospreys in Jack Walsh’ absence suggests the latter is his future at club level. Despite his disappointing Six Nations, Gabriel Hamer-Webb has done a lot for Leicester in the meantime, becoming one of few players to score 5 tries in a single game against Newcastle. While still firmly their 3rd choice on the wing, he’s done enough to earn a recall.

    As for fullback, it’s tough to tell if Louis Rees-Zammit will continue to stay here. He’s certainly a devastating counterattacker and gets more touches on the ball, but likes the finer points to his game that more dedicated fullbacks like Blair Murray or Cameron Winnett possess. O’Brien also might challenge for this role, especially if Wales choose a kick-heavy strategy. Finally, Jacob Beetham has been in excellent form for Cardiff, has the versatility to cover most of the backline, and has all the basic fundamentals of an international player despite his limited caps. If a utility back is needed, Beetham is one of the leading candidates.

    For the final pick, Blair Murray and Cam Winnett are mostly evenly matched, but the former is more versatile and has been more consistent this season, while Winnett’s form has fluctuated a lot more.

    My Choices: Josh Adams, Rio Dyer, Tom Rogers, Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Louis Rees-Zammit, Jacob Beetham, Blair Murray

    Injury Cover: Keelan Giles, Cameron Winnett

  • Wales vs Italy Review – Six Nations 2026

    Wales vs Italy Review – Six Nations 2026

    Wales 31 – 17 Italy

    They’ve finally done it – the Six Nations losing streak has been broken as Wales have a new benchmark for their performances going forward. Compared to their spotty win against Japan last summer and their narrow victory against the same opponent in the autumn, this was a more dominant display as Wales had the edge over Italy for most of the game and of the starting XV, few made any real errors at all. After showing such signs of development in the games against Scotland and Ireland, Wales have proven that they have the quality to compete in the Six Nations, and they are that much closer to finding their strongest XV and climbing back into the top 10 in the world rankings.

    If you’d seen the previous two games, you’d have a pretty solid idea of who Wales’ best performers were. Overall, they matched Italy in most areas of the game; similar possession, territory, carries made, discipline. But on defence, they had little trouble repelling Italy’s attack as they made 88% of their tackles, notably more than Italy’s 81%. Menoncello and Brex had their work cut out for them trying to manage Wales’ carrying threats, but with a much less experienced centre partnership, Wales contained the centrefield defence a lot more than usual, and attacked well from all areas of the field as they beat a lot more defenders (27 vs 18).

    Next up will be the Nations Championship in July, and given how far Wales have come, they’ll fancy their chances against Fiji and Japan at home, and possibly Australia. Compared to the autumn, they’re vastly improved defence will be tested against the familiar opponents of Argentina, New Zealand, and South Africa, especially with their new defence coach on the way. It’ll be a similar step-by-step rate of improvements, but Wales are generally on the up after an overall successful Six Nations campaign.

    Player Ratings:

    1: Rhys Carré: 7

    Ended his try-scoring rate, but overall a strong showing from the big man. Celebrated a cleanly won turnover, though Wales’ scrum struggled later in the game.

    2: Dewi Lake: 8

    Some of his persistent lineout troubles came back in, but that was the only thing holding him back from a 9; Lake only played 44 minutes, yet was a strong contender for MotM as he topped the carrying charts and tackled relentlessly. A brilliant end after such an awkward start, Lake has firmly re-established himself as a world class hooker.

    3: Tomas Francis: 6

    Got through 37 minutes before being forced off. Francis didn’t really do much in that time beyond the scrum, though against Danilo Fischetti, that’s certainly an achievement; Wales’ setpiece had a lot more issues when he left.

    4: Dafydd Jenkins: 7

    Generically great workrate from Jenkins, though he made a few errors to hold him back. Missed 2, made 12, which isn’t a bad showing but not at his usual standard. Jenkins is great when Wales need to weather the storm, but Italy’s attack weren’t quite as competitive as past opponents, so he was needed less. Other teammates had bigger showings.

    5: Ben Carter: 8

    Did a great Adam Beard impression, in a complimentary way. Going for a maul inside their own 22 aside, Wales’ strong maul from the second Gatland era returned as Carter put in a great shift at both the setpiece and around the park. Not too many tackles, but some strong carries to help get Wales moving forward.

    6: Alex Mann: 6

    Like Jenkins, Wales were far enough ahead where Mann’s workrate was less noteworthy. Conceded some frustrating penalties, but stayed strong in the lineout.

    7: James Botham: 9

    Hard done by to not be considered for MotM; even with a slight possession majority, Botham made the most tackles with 15, 0 missed, and 3 dominant, plus a turnover. His try-saving intervention further demonstrated his tremendous workrate, even when Wales’ defence switched off a little towards the end. Jac Morgan will take back the jersey upon his return, but Botham will push for the 6 jersey or the bench spot; either way, he’s brilliantly recemented his place in the 23.

    8: Aaron Wainwright: 9

    Wales player of the tournament by some distance, Waino continued his form with a deserved MotM performance. Hasn’t been his usual try-scoring force so far, but ended that drought with 2 quick and easy scores from the 22. Even with Faletau likely to return, it’ll be very hard to see Wainwright anywhere besides the 8 jersey, as his carrying threat was too much for the Italians time after time.

    9: Tomos Williams: 8

    Much better, as his kicking relieved pressure from Wales constantly. His leadership doesn;t seem to be at Lake’s level, as Wales generally relaxed a lot when the latter left. But with Morgan still to return, that should take the pressure off him as his game control helped keep the Welsh attack going.

    10: Dan Edwards: 8

    More than made his case to start over Costelow. Edwards may not possess his rival’s defence and game control, but his sheer confidence to aim for drop goals under pressure or score tries himself makes him a unique attacking threat. Made up for his quieter showings earlier in the tournament, and his partnership with Williams looked a lot stronger.

    11: Josh Adams: 8

    Speaking of making up for quiet showings. Adams couldn’t quite get the best of Louis Lynagh in the air, but made up for it with one of his best carrying showings in years. Beat 6 defenders in 8 carries, and constantly asked questions of the Italian defence.

    12: Joe Hawkins: 7

    Defensively still has some work to do, as he made 6 and missed 2, but on attack has really evolved his carrying threat. Tandy will likely persist with the Hawins/James partnership going forward, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Scarlets do the same.

    13: Eddie James: 7

    Quieter than usual, though on attack his showings were very positive. Also didn’t miss any tackles, unlike Hawkins, which is certainly impressive given the quality of his opposition. 

    14: Ellis Mee: 8

    Also hard done by not to be considered for MotM. Mee should now be Wales’ first choice winger if Rees-Zammit remains at fullback, as his pace and aerial ability can seriously push opposition defences. But it’s his quick-thinking that sets him apart, with his clearance kick to deny Italy a score in the opening half and his consistency with beating defenders that prove he is ready for international rugby.

    15: Louis Rees-Zammit: 7

    His best showing at fullback so far, though maybe needs to close out the season for Bristol before truly making it his best position. Struggles in defence, but his kicking tested Italy and works well with his pace, as he can easily chase his own kicks and force opponents to make fast decisions which may not always be the right ones.

    BENCH

    16: Ryan Elias: 7

    Strong in Lake’s absence, though less impactful overall. Should keep this jersey as his physicality is hard to match.

    17: Nicky Smith: 8

    The main scrum threat of this Welsh side, Smith comfortably held on in the setpiece and around the park as the team around him fell off. Probably won’t push Carré for a starting spot as both are different kinds of props, but looks comfortable in this role.

    18: Archie Griffin: 5

    Strong workrate in defence, but not his best. Carded for collapsing Italy’s maul and cost Wales at scrumtime. Assiratti should come back in for the summer, though Griffin has the advantage against the other tightheads for the third tighthead spot.

    19: Adam Beard: 5

    Beard, meanwhile, is under a lot more threat as his bench impact doesn’t actually seem to impact the game in a notable way, especially when Jenkins and Carter are playing so well. Teddy Williams, Freddie Thomas, and Rhys Davies just have much higher workrates and offer unique advantages that Beard does not, despite his experience. Needs a good showing for Montpellier in the meantime.

    20: Olly Cracknell: N/A

    Victim of Tandy’s timid bench usage. Could come under threat then Faletau and Plumtree return from injury.

    21: Kieran Hardy: N/A

    At least he hit the field this time. Actually made the highest number of tackles per minute, which is funny.

    22: Jarrod Evans: 6

    Given a score as his awkward kick to touch didn’t really take away pressure from the Italian attack. Not much else.

    23: Blair Murray: N/A

    Recurring theme here. Murray could do a lot of work in such a role when Tandy actually figures out what to do with his bench.

    Wales’ Best Performers of Six Nations 2026 – Tier List

    Elite – Aaron Wainwright, Rhys Carré

    Excellent – Dewi Lake, Alex Mann, Eddie James, Dafydd Jenkins, Ben Carter, Sam Costelow

    Great – Tomos Williams, Dan Edwards, Nicky Smith, Tomas Francis, Ellis Mee, Joe Hawkins, Louis Rees-Zammit

    Decent – Ryan Elias, Josh Adams, Olly Cracknell, Jarrod Evans, Harri Deaves, Josh Macleod

    Barely Showed up – Liam Belcher, Freddie Thomas, Kieran Hardy, Mason Grady, Louie Hennessey, Blair Murray

    Some Clear Work-ons – Taine Plumtree, Gabriel Hamer-Webb

    Poor – Adam Beard, Ben Thomas

  • Wales vs Ireland Review – Six Nations 2026

    Wales vs Ireland Review – Six Nations 2026

    Ireland 27 – 17 Wales

    Following Ireland’s 21-42 sweep against England, along with Wales’ historic poor performances in Dublin, this could’ve been a lot uglier than a 10 point deficit. A one score difference was well earned, however; Wales’ defence was far improved compared to previous weeks, and they made Ireland’s world class players fight for every score. An easy way to describe Walaes’ performance was annoying; for the opposition, thankfully. Where England struggled to handle Ireland’s varied attacking threats, Wales found a lot more answers, and forced the hosts to give it their all across the field.

    Ultimately though, the Irish had more opportunities to take advantage of; they got more points from Wales’ 22, held 57% of the possession, and did an equally effective job of countering Wales’ attack plan. Players like McCloskey and Baloucoune were quieter than in previous weeks, but their forward pack was more than enough to give them the edge in go-forward. A recurring pattern; Wales were the less clinical and well-drilled team, and therefore they simply got less out of their limited opportunities.

    Still an improvement over the Scotland performance overall, if only slightly. A lesser team would;ve collapsed to a lot more than 27 points conceded with how much Ireland threw at them. How much they can improve that showing against Italy is to be seen, but a win at home to break the losing streak is entirely on the table.

    Player Ratings:

    1: Rhys Carré – 9

    Ellis Genge-esque. Carré’s work with ball-in-hand was among the best on the field, as he kept pushing Ireland’s defence backwards and came close to scoring multiple times. But when he finally broke through, he proved why he;s a player who can;t be half-checked with a brilliant linebreak. A strong contender for the team of the tournament at this rate.

    2: Dewi Lake – 8

    Less noticeable than Carré, at least on attack; 4 dominant tackles is a hard number to ignore. Strong at the setpiece, Lake looks back to his best after a long slump in form, though Wales’ maul couldn’t quite get going to give him a scoring opportunity.

    3: Tomas Francis – 6

    Tom O’Toole is normally a tighthead prop and Wales’ pack was over 50 kg heavier than Ireland’s. Didn’t stop him from folding Francis in record time at the first scrum. Was a lot more stable for the rest of the game, and both side’s setpieces were equally matched for the most part.

    4: Dafydd Jenkins – 8

    About as good as last week; 27 tackles and a turnover speaks to his contributions around the park. A deliberate knock on caused issues at one point, but only came from his desire to involve himself in every effort made by his side.

    5: Ben Carter – 7

    Mostly solid; outread by Jack Crowley for the latter’s try, but with 19 tackles made, 1 missed is less concerning. Couldn’t match his teammates efforts otherwise before being replaced, but did well with what he was given.

    6: Alex Mann – 9

    32 tackles made, 2 dominant, a turnover and a try-saving snatch in Wales’ 22. Mann went above and beyond in every phase of play, including a near-try towards the end. He’s been a consistent performer since coming back into the Wales side after the Japan tour, but this was comfortably his best game yet.

    7: James Botham – 8

    Nice to see the Cardiff backrowers in their more comfortable positions; Botham didn’t win as many turnovers as he may have wanted, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. Tireless on defence, and almost scored out wide before claiming a score later on, Botham constantly frustrated Ireland’s attack and forced them to go around him rather than through.

    8: Aaron Wainwright – 7

    Having suffered an injury prior to the match, Waino’s influence was always going to be slightly more limited. 5 carries looks underwhelming, but with what he was able to contribute, he forced Ireland’s hand. A solid 16-1 defensive showing too, not far behind consistent tackle-machine Carter. Also, somehow he topped meters carried for Wales? In 44 minutes? What?

    9: Tomos Williams – 5

    Not just for the yellow card, although it certainly didn’t help Wales’ last 10 minutes being without a scrum-half. While he kept the attack flowing, Williams couldn’t really create much after Carré’s try, and his kicking wasn’t much help either. Got targeted a lot on defence and didn’t handle it well.

    10: Dan Edwards – 6

    Got targeted a lot on defence and didn;t handle it well. Saving a try with some level-headed playmaking gives him an extra point, though with Costelow’s performance last week, the drop-off was felt. A good player, and some of his kicks helped relieve pressure, but others went more astray.

    11: Josh Adams – 4

    Pretty quiet. When given the ball out wide, didn’t put Ireland under too much pressure and looked indecisive in parts. Missed a pass to Botham which kind of summed up his night.

    12: Joe Hawkins – 6

    Got targeted a lot on defence and… was ok? 15 tackles made, but tied with Tomos for most missed with 4. Still, his kicking game was one of the more consistent on his team, and 10 carries is actually one of the higher numbers among Wales’ ranks. Context is relevant; McCloskey has been one of the tournament’s best players, and Hawkins more than held his own.

    13: Eddie James – 7

    Also quieter than usual, but really frustrated Ireland out wide. Similar workrate to Hawkins with 10 carries and 15 tackles, but missed none. Ireland’s midfield defence is very strong, though, so James could only do so much to dent it.

    14: Ellis Mee – 6

    Fine? Stockdale comfortably had the edge under the high ball, but Mee made a good account of himself when pressured on defence. Didn’t see too much ball, though, as the play was more focused on Adams’ side.

    15: Louis Rees-Zammit – 6

    Doesn’t feel like a world-class player at the moment. Deserves credit for his 50:22 and some solid carries, along with a reasonable defensive effort at times, but was quiet for most of the second half.

    BENCH

    16: Ryan Elias – 7

    Played his part in Wales’ consistent setpiece, though their maul got stopped pretty quickly. Good carries.

    17: Nicky Smith – 8

    Crushed Furlong in the scrum, but didn’t have the same defensive impact as last week.

    18: Archie Griffin – 7

    Much better scrum performance than last week, which isn’t saying much, but looked a lot closer to his usual form overall.

    19: Adam Beard – N/A

    Being given a second chance to earn a starting spot, Beard made 3 carries and 1 tackle in 24 minutes. Meh.

    20: Olly Cracknell – 7

    Isn’t Wainwright, but put in a similar effort with an insane 15 carries in 36 minutes. That’s as many as MotM Conan made in the entire game. Less notable on defence compared to Botham and Mann, but contributed well overall.

    21: Kieran Hardy – N/A

    Technically, Tomos didn’t play 80 minutes thanks to the yellow card, so not much reason to replace him.

    22: Jarrod Evans – N/A

    Slightly more surprising unused replacement, though Hawkins did well. No last minute kicks this time.

    23: Louie Hennessey – 6

    Got his first cap, and seemed to make more impact than Mee somehow. Threw himself into everything available, though to little result. 

    My Team vs Italy

    1. Rhys Carré
    2. Dewi Lake
    3. Tomas Francis
    4. Dafydd Jenkins
    5. Ben Carter
    6. Alex Mann
    7. James Botham
    8. Aaron Wainwright
    9. Tomos Williams
    10. Sam Costelow
    11. Mason Grady
    12. Joe Hawkins
    13. Eddie James
    14. Tom Rogers
    15. Louis Rees-Zammit

    BENCH

    1. Ryan Elias
    2. Nicky Smith
    3. Kieron Assiratti
    4. Freddie Thomas
    5. Josh Macleod
    6. Kieran Hardy
    7. Jarrod Evans
    8. Blair Murray

    Once again, not many changes. Assiratti should be back to full fitness by now, and while Griffin played well, Assiratti’s performances in the Autumn deserve to be built upon. Management is hopeful that Costelow will be fit for the Italy game, in which case he comes back too. As for the bench, Freddie Thomas has been relatively underutilised so far this campaign, and should take the chance to prove what he brings to the squad. Josh Macleod has both the versatility and experience to act as a useful bench replacement; Cracknell and Woodman are larger and stronger, but against Italy, breakdown control will be needed to compete with their dual opensides and slow down their ball. If Wainwright isn’t fit, however, Cracknell will need to come in. 

    The back three is more interesting, as none of them have really clicked so far this tournament. Josh Adams has 2 tries, but these have mostly come from finishing phase plays rather than dominant gameplay. Louis Rees-Zammit is statistically impressive, but his performances so far have left a lot to be desired. He keeps his space though, as the other fullback options are riskier. Meanwhile, Tom Rogers hasn’t had a minute of rugby all campaign, and Mason Grady looked strong off the bench at the start, so they take Josh Adams and Ellis Mee’s places in the XV. Blair Murray adds more pace and should up the tempo coming off the bench.

    Italy have had an excellent campaign so far, but with Wales’ own improvements, a larger pack, and the homefield advantage, a victory is certainly achievable.

  • Wales vs Scotland Review – Six Nations 2026

    Wales vs Scotland Review – Six Nations 2026

    Wales 23 – 26 Scotland

    Needless to say, a much better performance from Wales. Being in the stadium, the atmosphere was as intense as the scoreline, bearing strong resemblance to the Ireland game of last year with an even more impressive scoreline from a Welsh perspective. Hungry from two successive years of winless results, Wales fought hard across all 80 minutes and contrary to their usual difficulties in the opening stages, were firing from minute one. They physically matched Scotland blow-for-blow, held their own in the aerial battle and the setpiece (at least, for the most part), and gave the Raeburn Shield holders a real challenge.

    Tandy has spoken in the build up to the Six Nations about the squad learning from past mistakes and developing an identity together. While this was difficult to see in the first two games, Wales really felt like a complete team that was able to play some solid rugby at a Tier 2 standard, rather than simply fighting for survival. Able to attack from all areas of the game, Wales had far more good performances than mediocre, and very few poor showings. The fundamentals were solid and their much maligned defence was far better as they kept Scotland away from the tryline for most of the match.

    But it wasn’t meant to be; Scotland just had too much to throw at them. While the visitors had their own strugglers, the bench closed out the game as seasoned players like Darcy Graham and George Turner knew what it took to win a result. Though narrow, Wales couldn’t maintain that level of quality for all 80 minutes, and simply need to continue building upon what went well to rebuild themselves to a standard worthy of the Top 10.

    Player Ratings

    1: Rhys Carré 8

    Incredibly powerful, managing to get through work on both sides of the ball before powering over for Wales’ first try. Held his own well against the world-class Zander Fagerson in the scrum, and has firmly established himself as one of Wales’ premier carriers.

    2: Dewi Lake 7

    An even better performance than last week. Lake also carried hard into heavy traffic and usually came out on top, getting over the gainline and nailing the lineout. Knocked the ball on close to the line, which was gutting for him as a try looked inevitable, and his poor tackle rate held him back, but this was still another improved performance as he slowly gets back to his best.

    3: Tomas Francis 6

    Quieter than his front-row teammates, but Francis’ experience was invaluable in neutralising the Scottish scrum threat. Notable when he left the field.

    4: Dafydd Jenkins 8

    After an underwhelming start to the season, Jenkins was back to his best work. Topped the charts for tackles (22) and missed none, constant carrier, and caused multiple breakdown frustrations for someone as skilled as Rory Darge. One of Wales’ best players, and proved that again today.

    5: Ben Carter 7

    You can pretty much copy paste everything said about Jenkins here; like Beard, he and Jenkins have a lot in common, but unlike Beard and Jenkins, that was a positive as he also boasted a 22/0 tackle success rate and managed the lineout well, though there were some tactical glitches.

    6: Taine Plumtree N/A

    Poor guy had a great opportunity to show his value as a starter but after taking down a threatening Kyle Steyn, had to be taken off the pitch due to injury. Looked to be settling in at this level, too.

    7: Alex Mann 7

    The 3 penalties will sting a lot – that alone is a third of Wales’ total conceded, but Mann’s workrate more than compensated for his faults. Not normally a strong openside, Mann won the same number of turnovers as Darge, and offered himself as a carrier just as much. Not the biggest, but he does it all.

    8: Aaron Wainwright 9

    One of Wales’ two best players, Waino is simply unplayable when he gets good ball to carry. 3 defenders beaten from a whopping 21 carries, he battered down Scotland’s gainline and gave Wales to physical advantage to take the lead. Though he missed 2 tackles, notably letting Finn Russell through for his try, 18 tackles made shows he can more than hold his own on defence too.

    9: Tomos Williams 6

    You can look at Tomos’ game from two angles. In terms of his box kicking, he perfectly managed to give Wales territory and opportunities which steered their control over the game. But at the same time, his croc roll cost them a potential try, and his more limited leadership resulted in poor structure towards the end of the game. He’s still a mile off the other scrum-halves Wales have, but there are some areas of his game which will need to be better.

    10: Sam Costelow 9

    For all his confidence issues after trying to take the reins following Biggar’s retirement, Costelow came back roaring after being usurped by Dan Edwards. His tee-kicking and touch finding were superb, as he repeatedly saw opportunities to put Welsh attackers through and took them. Even against a world-class fly-half like Finn Russell, Costelow looked far from out of place, and if he wasn’t injured at the 55 minute mark, he could’ve possibly outshined his opposite number by the end. Hopefully his injury isn’t too serious.

    11: Josh Adams 6

    Adams was tough to rate, as despite being one of Wales’ only two try scorers, his role largely came down to restraining Kyle Steyn’s aerial game. Fortunately, he was great at it, though for 7 carries, it was a pretty quiet night.

    12: Joe Hawkins 5

    Hawkins is still great, but that yellow really held him back. Scotland couldn’t really capitalise on the opportunity, but it could;ve been a very different story given how much discipline has held Wales back in the past. In spite of that, Hawkins’ otherwise solid physical contributions are scarred by 2 penalties conceded and 2 tackles missed, a lot less flattering statistically than his teammates.

    13: Eddie James 7

    James also managed a similarly awkward defensive showing to Hawkins, but his carrying continues to come along nicely. Would he be better at 12? Maybe, especially since it’s strange to bring Owen Watkin in otherwise, but so far, no complaints here.

    14: Gabriel Hamer-Webb 4

    The main shock inclusion, it was a great moment for Hamer-Webb to earn his first cap given his story with choosing to represent his mother’s country. Still, he’s trying to play against world-class wingers, and unlike Adams, he scored no tries and was repeatedly caught out in defence, completely botching the restart and allowing Darcy Graham to outrun him. Rookie errors made by a rookie, he’ll at least be among Tandy’s options for the World Cup now.

    15: Louis Rees-Zammit 5

    Like Tomos Williams, minus the solid box-kicking. Rees-Zammit had a terrible time in defence, targeted repeatedly by midfielders and getting outplayed on all sides by Russell and Jones. Those are world-class stars as well, but so far he hasn;t really made the fullback jersey his despite his obvious quality. Will be interesting to see if he persists in this position.

    BENCH

    16: Ryan Elias 6

    Worse than Dewi Lake, but still put in a good shift at the lineout. Only 2 carries, which is a little disappointing, but Scotland started to pick up momentum from there, so not really his fault.

    17: Nicky Smith 8

    About as good as Carré, maybe slightly less so as he was less of a carrying threat and Wales weren’t able to target Scotland’s scrum. But around the park, he showed his class as he targeted Scotland’s breakdown and annoyed potential carriers.

    18: Archie Griffin 4

    Had limites minutes, and spent most of them going backwards at scrum time. Honestly, this may be a flattering scoreline, as Griffin’s scrum difficulties were one of the main reasons Wales lost the match in the end, but his 12/1 tackle success rate in such limited minutes was a considerable positive to take away.

    19: Freddie Thomas N/A

    Because why would you want to replace Dafydd Jenkins?

    20: James Botham 8

    Basically started, given Plumtree’s immediate departure, but was a constant annoyance for Scotland at the breakdown. The Cardiff backrow combo gave Darge a rough time, and Botham also managed 15 tackles and a turnover of his own, though his confusion before Darcy Graham’s try didn’t paint the best picture of his game-reading.

    21: Kieran Hardy N/A

    At this point, just have Blair Murray cover the scrum-half position. Wait, that actually sounds cool…

    22: Jarrod Evans 7

    Not at Costelow’s standard of game management, and presumably wasn’t supposed to come on as early as he did, but otherwise kept the attack flowing well and managed some nice tee-kicks.

    23: Blair Murray 5

    On-and-off again for Hamer-Webb, and couldn’t add much in attack. Still invisible in the air, so he can stay on the bench for the time being.

    My Team vs Ireland

    1: Rhys Carré

    2: Dewi Lake

    3: Tomas Francis

    4: Dafydd Jenkins

    5: Ben Carter

    6: Alex Mann

    7: James Botham

    8: Aaron Wainwright

    9: Tomos Williams

    10: Sam Costelow

    11: Josh Adams

    12: Joe Hawkins

    13: Eddie James

    14: Ellis Mee

    15: Louis Rees-Zammit

    BENCH

    16: Ryan Elias

    17: Nicky Smith

    18: Archie Griffin

    19: Freddie Thomas

    20: Olly Cracknell

    21: Kieran Hardy

    22: Jarrod Evans

    23: Blair Murray

    Not a lot has changed, as given the released players for the interim URC fixture, these are the players Tandy is likely considering for selection. James Botham performed well against Scotland, and comes into the starting squad to replace the possibly injured Taine Plumtree. Costelow is also injured, and whether or not he’ll be available for future games is yet to be seen, but Edwards is a good replacement if so. Ellis Mee has generally performed better than Gabriel Hamer-Webb, so he comes back in to limit Jacob Stockdale’s aerial influence. Louie Hennessey could also feature in a similar fashion to Mason Grady in the first two weeks, but Blair Murray is the safer call, as Ireland have fewer answers to his pace than Scotland. Sam Wainwright could also earn his chance as Archie Griffin underperformed, but Tandy might play it safe instead.

  • Wales vs France Review – Six Nations 2026

    Wales vs France Review – Six Nations 2026

    Wales 12 – 54 France

    Despite the scoreline, this was a much improved performance from Wales overall, but the gulf in class was evident from the opening minutes of the game. France were too strong, too fast, too clean and too creative for Wales to earn enough opportunities to catch up from the visitors’ early lead. Dupont and Jalibert were a level above Williams and Edwards in game management, enabling France to utilise their French Flair to its fullest capacity and dominate on attack, scoring on almost all of their 2 entries.

    Where Wales need to improve is clear. Tandy has already announced plans to introduce a new defence coach in time for the Nations Championship, but the argument to fast-track one is strong enough; they can’t go a game without conceding 50 points, with France making 17 line breaks and beating 34 defenders. At half time, Wales’ tackle success rate was at (approximately) 67% and while they closed it to 80% by the second half, this is not enough for them to be competitive against teams of this calibre. There comes a point where simply complimenting the other team’s attacking structure isn’t enough of an excuse; twice France scored from cross-field kicks that Wales were completely unprepared for, and while their opponents aren’t as dominant in this area going forward, its an area Wales desperately need to shore up.

    Still, credit where it’s due for how the team responded to last week’s crushing defeat. Several players grew into their respective jerseys and make strong cases for persisting with them going forward. Meanwhile, the set piece was solid and consistent throughout, with the scrum holding strong against one of the best packs in the world and the dreaded lineout achieving 100% success. And after an embarrassing 16 penalties in the opening half of last game, 9 were conceded across all 80 minutes, only 3 more than France, far closer to the standard expected from international players. There’s a lot of work to do, but the small gains have to matter in the long run.

    Player Ratings

    1: Rhys Carré 7

    A strong showing overall. Usually valued less at scrum time than Nicky Smith, the Saracens man held strong against a powerful French pack and provided good showings in attack capped off by a deserved try. Consistently got the ball going forwards, which was a luxury Wales were rarely afforded

    2: Dewi Lake 5

    Lake was much better in terms of discipline and lineout throwing, but his defensive work was less flattering. He missed 4 tackles, far below his usual standard, and generally seems to epitomise what Wales do wrong in a lot of their recent matches. Came off earlier than usual, though it was an improvement over his previous form.

    3: Tomas Francis 5

    The only player with a real discipline issue in this game, but Francis more than made up for it with the scrum, steadying well against Jean-Baptiste Gros. Made some reasonable carries, too.

    4: Dafydd Jenkins 6

    Not one of his better games, but overall Jenkins contributed well on both sides of the ball and was the main lineout operator, a role he’s likely better suited for than Mann or Beard. Won a turnover too.

    5: Adam Beard 3

    Usually, a strong lineout his a sign of Beard having a good game, but he undid the work from last week with the decision to try and grubber a ball past Jalibert that lead to a French try. Beard didn’t really do much around the park besides limit Wales’ attacking opportunities with errors, and given Tandy’s reaction, he’ll be lucky to stay here.

    6: Aaron Wainwright 8

    Very much a three-way race for Wales’ best performer, but Wainwright takes it given his relentless drive to get over the gainline. Usually weaker than his backrow colleagues on defence, he was actually solid in this area despite being thoroughly outplayed by Bielle-Biarrey at one point. The most important man in the backrow besides Jac, and Tandy should probably appreciate that.

    7: Alex Mann 5

    Not normally an openside, and didn’t really slow down France’s ball much. Still, was Wales’ top tackler and made a lot of carries despite his smaller frame. A constant workhorse, but Wales need more power and breakdown skill from their 7.

    8: Olly Cracknell 4

    Highly rated by fans and pundits, Cracknell showed more of his limitations than strengths. Despite being a powerful carrier, Cracknell lacks the agility of other Wales 8s and was constantly evaded on defence, missing 3/11 tackles. Not much else to write about.

    9: Tomos Williams 8

    The driving force of Wales’ attack, Tomos was constantly under pressure but kicked consistently and was involved well on defence. Kept up performance-wise with Dupont, which is a huge statement, but clearly remains one of Wales’ best players even when struggling.

    10: Dan Edwards 4

    Not a great kicking game by comparison. Some more agility would’ve been helpful, as he fell off most of his tackles and couldn’t do much with ball in hand. Will have better games, but this wasn’t his best.

    11: Josh Adams 6

    Limited room to work with, but did well for the most part. Gutted to knock the ball forwards at the line thanks to Flament and Guillard, but was a solid presence on defence all things considered.

    12: Joe Hawkins 6

    A lot better on defence than usual from Wales’ 12s. Made some good plays and reads, but it wasn’t enough to gain go forward, especially compared to his centre partner. Should keep the kersey for next week.

    13: Eddie James 8

    Much better; really showed what he can bring on both sides of the ball. James has a broad and powerful skillset, as he brought pace and power in carries to consistently beat defenders. Strong defensive showing too, with 2 of his 8 tackles being dominant ones. His inexperience held him back a little, but it’s still early days for him at this level, so this was a big plus overall.

    14: Ellis Mee 6

    Good under the high ball, and his one break showed his carrying value, but wasn’t able to get into the game much. Defended against Bielle-Biarrey quite well, but was guilty of letting him score off a cross-kick he was completely unprepared for.

    15: Louis Rees-Zammit 7

    A lot of the same as last week. Topped the charts for meters carried, and pressured French defence well, although not enough to break them on his own. 

    BENCH

    16: Ryan Elias 4

    Lost control of the ball a little too often, but carried well otherwise and his lineout was decent.

    17: Nicky Smith 5

    Made some nice dominant tackles, and the scrum stayed strong, but Carré was a tough act to follow up.

    18: Archie Griffin 6

    More active in the loose than Smith, and generally performed better than Francis.

    19: Ben Carter6

    Game was effectively over, but Carter did well with limited material, with one good break and solid defensive work.

    20: Taine Plumtree 5

    Made some nice carries and broke his streak of cards, but his one break got held up over the line and nothing he did really impacted the game

    21: Kieran Hardy N/A

    More gametime than usual, but not a lot to rank. Almost botched a carry near the tryline, but his speed of service was good.

    22: Jarrod Evans 4

    Missed his one kick, though it wasn’t a great angle. Didn’t really speed up the attack either, but set up others well.

    23: Mason Grady 6

    Overpowered Bielle-Biarrey to bring him into touch, and finished a great passing maneuver for a try. Not much else he could’ve done.

    My Team for Scotland:

    1: Rhys Carré

    2: Dewi Lake

    3: Tomas Francis

    4: Dafydd Jenkins

    5: Ben Carter

    6: James Botham

    7: Josh Macleod

    8: Aaron Wainwright

    9: Tomos Williams

    10: Dan Edwards

    11: Mason Grady

    12: Joe Hawkins

    13: Eddie James

    14: Ellis Mee

    15: Louis Rees-Zammit

    BENCH

    16: Liam Belcher

    17: Nicky Smith

    18: Archie Griffin

    19: Rhys Davies

    20: Olly Cracknell

    21: Kieran Hardy

    22: Jarrod Evans

    23: Tom Rogers

    Scotland aren’t as physical as France, but they still have numerous threats out wide and in the midfield to keep up a powerful attack. All doubts that Scotland’s past achievements were behind them were quickly quashed when they comfortably beat England from minute one, so Wales news to start off quickly and remain consistent for 80 minutes; they’re struggling to do either, but that’s how you beat Scotland. 

    Beard’s poor performances once again see him replaced with more dynamic forwards. Botham comes in at 6 and Macleod comes in at 7; this is assuming Scotland field a similar backrow that they brought against England (Ritchie, Darge, Dempsey). Matt Fagerson is more of a carrying threat, but the former combo will make the breakdown a real contest, so Wales need to prioritise this area. The bench spot is tricky, but Cracknell should help counter Brown or Fagerson coming off the bench.

    I’ve also re-jigged the back three a little; Adams has been solid on defence, but doesn’t really have the pace to compete with high-end wingers, and probably needs a break after successive 80 minute performances. Grady’s size and speed should be enough to fend off Steyn while challenging him in the air, while Tom Rogers can cover the back three from the bench.

  • Wales vs England Review – Six Nations 2026

    Wales vs England Review – Six Nations 2026

    England 48 – 7 Wales

    With England’s far stronger Autumn campaign and ominous form, most people were expecting a clear victory for the hosts to kick off their campaign. And they were right; England took the lead in just about every area, and were far more clinical and composed in their opportunities compared to their less disciplined opponents.

    For what it’s worth though, Wales did generally improve on last year’s embarrassment; tactically, they had a better idea of how to approach the game, and there were fewer awful performances and more solid ones. No one really stood out, though, and with a dire scoreline at half time, no one would be forgiven for expecting the sins of the past to drag them back into another demolishment.

    Both sides had moments of non-thought and ill-discipline, but Wales’ were more frequent and more costly, and their attack wasn’t ruthless enough to compensate. There’s no quick fix here; this is just the gap between both teams at the moment. There are tweaks to be made going forward that might be enough for Wales to bounce back later down the line (especially with how weak Ireland and Scotland were in their own opening matches) but with things as they are, the team will need to do better than that to avoid the Wooden Spoon.

    Player Ratings

    1: Nicky Smith – 3

    Against his Leicester partner, gave a poor account of himself in the scrum war. His yellow card was the deserved result of Wales’ constant penalty woes rather than his own weakness, but from one of the team’s more constant players this was not a great showing.

    2: Dewi Lake – 3

    Has come under fire for his lineout throwing, which was actually solid this game, but everything else was not. As leader, his own showings of poor discipline and mental fog did little but hold the team back for the first half, and his illegal maul takedown earned him a deserved yellow. Better second half, but there’s no coming back from that at this level.

    3: Archie Griffin – 7

    By default, the best of the front row, but Griffin generally gave a strong showing. Struggled in the scrum without his captain, but put in a solid shift around the park to compensate, making all 11 of his tackles. Couldn’t ask much more of him against a pack of England’s quality.

    4: Dafydd Jenkins – 4

    One of my favourite players here, but this was an underperformance. 3 penalties is below his standards, and while he topped the tackle charts as expected, his usual game intelligence evaded him as he also missed 3. Needs to to a little better

    5: Adam Beard – 6

    It’s weird to be lauding a player for achieving a 6/10, but with how much criticism he’s come under Beard actually had a pretty solid game. Underutilised at the lineout, he remained a notable presence around the park, making 9 tackles and 4 carries. Probably keeps his spot next week.

    6: Alex Mann – 5

    Did a good job winding up Ellis Genge and earning a penalty, and put in a nice shift on both sides of the ball, but ended up being taken away to accommodate the yellows. Quieter than his teammates as a result

    7: Josh Macleod – 6

    Not exceptional, but still belongs at this level. Great work to win a turnover and gave England consistent difficulties throughout his time on the pitch, aided by some decent carries, but England’s backrow has 3 7s and he’s not at their level.

    8: Aaron Wainwright – 7

    Pure workhorse, and arguably Wales’ best performer. Beat 5 defenders, and actually looked a match for the world class Ben Earl. Not enough power to keep them in the game, though.

    9: Tomos Williams – 6

    Needed more speed out of the ruck to counter England’s physicality, but kept a decent level of control when Wales had possession and was a persistent defender.

    10: Dan Edwards – 6

    Good kicking performance, especially for Josh Adams’ try, but was defensively a lot weaker. Can’t take all the blame for how comfortably Freeman and Dingwall made dents in the centrefield, but certainly could’ve done more.

    11: Josh Adams – 5

    Not a lot of opportunities, but took them well. Good account of himself under the high ball and scored the only try, but Wales couldn’t get nearly enough ball to him.

    12: Ben Thomas – 2

    Thomas’ festive season showings looked promising, but he self-destructed here. Missed 2 of his 6 tackle attempts and made persistent errors, like his brainless pass attempt to Rees-Zammit and his eventual yellow. Shouldn’t keep this jersey.

    13: Eddie James – 6

    Showed his potential with some strong carries, but Wales just couldn’t give him the ball enough. Good defensive shift too, missing none of his tackles when Wales hated defending the midfield.

    14: Ellis Mee – 5

    Not enough attacking plays, but was quite good under the high ball. Mee is certainly a player with potential at this level, but with how Wales are relative to the other Six Nations sides, they need to give him enough room to work with.

    15: Louis Rees-Zammit – 7

    Made a mistake in coming offside and completely flubbed one high ball; generally looked a little green at fullback at international level. Still, his one break showed his quality, and was much better under the high ball than Blair Murray in the Autumn, countering a powerful spiral bomb from Ford. Should stay here going forward.

    BENCH

    16: Liam Belcher – 4

    Could’ve given him an N/A given how little he really impacted proceedings. 1 carry and 1 tackle in 23 minutes, not his trademark workrate

    17: Rhys Carré – 6

    Deserves a decent score for a decent game. Constantly got Wales moving forward with ball in hand and made a case to start again the massive France pack. Didn’t help the scrum much, though.

    18: Tomas Francis – 5

    Quite anonymous, but nice to see him back on the test arena. Added some stability to the scrum when Wales needed it, but didn’t bring Griffin’s level of workrate.

    19: Ben Carter – N/A

    Should’ve probably been called in earlier given his defensive skills

    20: Taine Plumtree – 6

    Has had his fair share of yellows, but this one was harder to avoid given Pollock was mid-dive. Added a lot more dynamism in attack when Wales were lacking, and makes a case that the bench is his best position.

    21: Harri Deaves – 6

    Like Plumtree, minus the errors for the most part. Some strong carries and good defensive work, though England had Wales beat by that point and Deaves couldn’t do enough on his own.

    22: Keiran Hardy – N/A

    Tomos was pretty good, and with Dewi struggling, his leadership was needed. Hardy probably isn’t getting much gametime if this pattern persists.

    23: Mason Grady – 6

    Like Plumtree and Deaves, had the energy to match England and gave them a real challenge in the carry, but couldn’t reverse England’s momentum.

    My Team for Next Week:

    1: Rhys Carré

    2: Dewi Lake

    3: Tomas Francis

    4: Ben Carter

    5: Dafydd Jenkins

    6: Olly Cracknell

    7: Josh Macleod

    8: Aaron Wainwright

    9: Tomos Williams

    10: Dan Edwards

    11: Josh Adams

    12: Joe Hawkins

    13: Eddie James

    14: Ellis Mee

    15: Louis Rees-Zammit

    BENCH

    16: Ryan Elias

    17: Nicky Smith

    18: Archie Griffin

    19: Rhys Davies

    20: Freddie Thomas 

    21: James Botham

    22: Kieran Hardy

    23: Mason Grady

    Besides dropping Thomas for Hawkins, the backline did decently well for what they were given, so I’ve kept the system the same. Grady could start for some extra physical energy, though he offers more utility in the 6-2 split. Otherwise, power will be needed against the strongest team in the Six Nations, while aerial control remains a focus as France try to expand into this area of their game. Maintaining territory will be critical; possession and consistency in the 22 can give us the tools to keep France on the backfoot, as Dupont and Bielle-Biarrey will smell blood if Wales’ errors persist.

    The front rows swap as they have both the larger size and generally the strongest form after this weekend’s battering. I’d swap Lake and Elias if I could, but that probably won’t happen so it can stay as is. Mann and Deaves had strong games, but France have no problem overwhelming smaller backrowers, so Botham and Cracknell get in to help mitigate that. 

    Beard could’ve stayed, but I can justify giving Dafydd another chance as the locks will need to be more abrasive, and Carter has been in good form while Rhys Davies is overdue a spot. Freddie Thomas is an interesting one, as I would have him take Cracknell’s place at blindside; not his usual position, but he also provides a powerful carrying platform and should bring dynamism off the bench; his size and more consistent discipline gives him an edge over Plumtree, as Botham compensates for the lost versatility.

  • My Six Nations 2026 Predictions

    My Six Nations 2026 Predictions

    The Six Nations timeline is a weird one. After the Autumn tests, it feels a long distance away, but over the Christmas period that time dissolves so quickly, and then squad announcements are on the horizon. I can still remember headlines and stats from the previous year’s tournament, and now I’m looking forward to see how those change on 2026. So for some fun, I wanted to run through some pre-week 1 predictions for the upcoming Six Nations.

    End of Season Standings:

    6: Wales

    On the plus side, Wales don’t really have much to lose here. On the field, at least; off the field, Wales are losing even harder, but they’ll still be nowhere near Italy’s “achievements” in the late 2010s even with a 3rd successive winless season. Tandy is still trying to rebuild Wales to a team that can compete with the Top 10 of World Rugby, and while the Autumn had some clear positives, these clearly aren’t issues that can be fixed within the first 3 or so campaigns.

    Wins over Scotland and Italy, which certainly aren’t achievable given their own problems, would do a lot to alleviate the pressure surrounding the squad, but with limited depth and experience Wales are likely to be working from a disadvantage from minute one. Tomos Williams and Louis Rees-Zammit are world-class, but the entire squad needs to buy in if they are to avoid the Wooden Spoon; they’ll need to own contestable high balls and front up physically to do so.

    5: Italy

    Italian rugby is on the rise again, but for what it’s worth this tends to happen a lot only for the Six Nations to give them some form of reality check. Quesada’s men need to aim for 4th as a benchline; anything less is a mark of little progress, and with Ange Capuozzo and Edoardo Todaro injured, their backline generally looks weaker than other sides. Still, Italy can leverage the advantage when opposing teams underestimate them, as Scotland can attest to.

    Much like the next team, that opening game will define their season. They lack the depth to handle the top sides, so their gameplan will likely boil down to breakdown control and territorial kicking thanks to Paolo Garbisi, while Brexoncello provides attacking threat in the midfield. It’s weird having their most important fixtures on both sides of the tournament, and we could see a completely different Italy by the end.

    4: Scotland

    Where are Scotland right now? Probably not in a good spot; after falling off against Argentina, they got booed out of the stadium by their own fans, and if they drop the ball again against Italy in Rome, their season is likely already over. That being said, they have a lot more going for than the previous two sides; Glasgow are arguably the form club in Europe, and they can certainly give England a scare. But Townsend seems to have taken the team to its limits, and it’s hard to bank on them scoring higher.

    We could see a reshuffle of the established guard with some newer players coming in. While the squad is relatively old, players like Kyle Steyn and Jamie Dobie have been in excellent form, and could come in on the bench or the XV should their skills be considered too valuable. Gregor Brown is also likely to be invaluable as a bench player, as Scotland’s 6-2 split could be incredibly dangerous.

    3: Ireland

    Where are Ireland right now? Probably fine. Still, Andy Farrell’s team need to show signs of transition with both their aging player pool and less-unanswerable strategies slowly fading out of the top spaces. They certainly have the talent to do so, and the selections of Edwin Edogbo and Nathan Doak show that Farrell has this partially figured out, but how he plans to use these players will define Ireland’s future style.

    With so many prop injuries as well, we probably won’t see the same level of scrum dominance, not helped by two of the stronger teams this time being great scrummaging sides. For Week 1, they’ve made some big decisions, like dropping James Lowe and putting Prendergast in charge at 10. But ultimately, it;s hard to gauge Ireland’s strength with how little is known about their current form; they should at least be stronger than they were in the Autumn, but challenging the top two seems to far out of reach.

    2: France

    Between the two strongest sides, it was very close. But after a relatively disappointing Autumn, the way France have approached this tournament feels like a big gamble; either they shape the future of their team in time to be World Cup contenders, or they fumble to England and go back to the drawing board. By trying to adapt to international trends, opportunities have opened up for different players like Theo Attisogbe and Anthony Jelonch, but how well they replace established stars is as of yet unclear.

    Galthie has confirmed that this is only the team for the first week and not the full tournament, implying players like Romain Ntamack could be called upon later. Plus, Bordeaux and Toulouse are producing players as strong as ever. If Jalibert and Dupont can link up well, they could be near-unplayable. If Mickaël Guillard can nail down a starting position that allows France to balance physicality with breakdown success, they could dominate collisions easily. But right now, these are unanswered questions, and it’s hard for a team with lots of unknowns to challenge for titles.

    1: England

    England are really scary. At the end of 2024, they were generally disappointing, losing to Australia and New Zealand by close margins and entering the 2025 Six Nations expected to finish 4th. And after that first game dropped to Ireland, they’ve bounced back to be one of the strongest sides in the world. With a consistent gameplan in mind, they can push just about anyone aside, and no one has really found a consistent answer to their depth and quality.

    France would be the ones to do it, with elite internationals like Antoine Dupont and Louie Bielle-Biarrey who can potentially break their gameplan apart. England don’t really reach the same highs, but trade that for versatility; they can mix up their backrow for any opponent, they have 3 elite international fly-halves, they have two different backlines with different skillsets to exploit defensive faults (Steward-Arundell-Roebuck for aerial control, Furbank-Feyi-Waboso-Murley for raw pace and playmaking etc.). It won’t be as flashy as France’s attack, but they should have everything they need to close out games. At least, provided Duhan doesn’t immediately destroy them again somehow.

    XV of the Tournament:

    1: Ellis Genge – will only further his claim of being the best prop in the Northern Hemisphere, especially if England win the Grand Slam. His carrying game will be difficult to stop and give England consistent advantages.

    2: Dan Sheehan – feels a comfortable distance above the other hookers, but hasn’t necessarily been in the best form. Marchand will put pressure on him, but Sheehan is just too instrumental to Ireland for him to not have good ball.

    3: Zander Fagerson – France and England will be busy testing each other’s scrum while Fagerson provides Scotland with a platform to thrive. Has well and truly recovered from injury, and will get valuable unseen work done.

    4: Thibaud Flament – is generally in better form than similar players, though up-and-coming teammate Mickaël Guillard will undoubtedly be an important part of France’s campaign like last year. Brings a more athletic edge to France’s forwards that few can replicate.

    5: Dafydd Jenkins – a bold prediction, with Wales being far from favourites and the other teams having locks with similar abilities, but Jenkins could really come into his own with the right support. Will be near the top of the tackle charts regardless.

    6: Cian Prendergast – with Peter O’Mahoney retired and Ryan Baird injured, it’ll be between Prendergast and Conan to claim this jersey for the tournament. And with the former’s youth and consistent regional form, he has plenty of room to cement his place in time for the World Cup.

    7: Sam Underhill – Earl may outperform him, but Underhill currently holds the England 7 jersey and his work at the breakdown will be valuable to regain possession and slow down France and Ireland’s ball. Carries harder than most 7s.

    8: Jack Dempsey – in excellent form for Glasgow, and should help carry Scotland through the more physically demanding contests. Has a strong all-around game, and while the shape of Scotland’s backrow may change, he will certainly be a part of it.

    9: Antoine Dupont – self-explanatory, but deserves a campaign where he starts all 5 games uninjured. France’s best weapon, so if they win, his inclusion will speak for itself. Jamie Dobie might be one to watch, though.

    10: George Ford – between him and Finn Russell, as unlike Ireland and France, they’ll nail down the starting jerseys more consistently. Finn hasn’t really peaked this season, and while he may be conserving his energy for the Calcutta Cup, Ford has been competing with the best for almost a year now. Could actually claim to be the North’s best 10 by the end.

    11: Louie Bielle-Biarrey – the obvious and boring pick, but he just keeps scoring tries. Will enter the top 10 of France’s all-time try scorers at 22 years old if he scores 3 more, and he has 5 games to do it. Seems a safe bet he will.

    12: Tommasso Menoncello – the clutch factor in Italy’s wins, and there shouldn’t be much competition besides Sione Tuipulotu. That first game may be an important decider, but Menoncello is never invisible, so expect him to continue in this spot.

    13: Tommy Freeman – what better way to own the transition to 13 than to beat out players like Huw Jones and Ignacio Brex to this spot? It’s a big ask, but with what he’s done already for Northampton, it’ll at least make for an interesting story.

    14: Immanuel Feyi-Waboso – arguably England’s best winger, and would have staked his claim easier if not for injuries. Needs a big statement to own the 11 jersey.

    15: Thomas Ramos – may end up as the top scorer, with his attacking prowess taking on a new role in an evolved French kicking game. As last year showed, France can put teams down in violent fashion, and Ramos will capitalise on every second of it.

    Try of the Championship:

    A weird one to “predict”, but if there’s been a trend in try highlights lately, it’s been props scoring from outside the 22, and no one is better equipped for this than Ellis Genge. Against who is a tough call, but if his repeated Player of the Match awards in the PREM and his form on the Lions tour proved, he could score some exceptional tries, and it would be interesting to see a prop beat out the wingers for this award.

    Player of the Championship:

    Nominees:

    Ellis Genge: England

    Antoine Dupont: France

    Jack Dempsey: Scotland

    Tommasso Menoncello: Italy

    Winner: Antoine Dupont

    If France win, it will inevitably come down to something Dupont has done or assisted with. While Jalibert may take some playmaking duties away from him, he remains one of the best players in World Rugby, and has had no problems winning this accolade in the past.

    Top Try Scorer: Immanuel Feyi Waboso 

    Freeman was the headline among England’s backs last season, but with his move to centre, Feyi-Waboso will likely aim to be their top finisher. While he faces stiff competition from previous record holders Louie Bielle-Biarrey and Jacob Stockdale, as well as in-form Kyle Steyn, his aerial work and sheer pace should see him high up the charts.

    BKT Rising Player Award: Kalvin Gourgues

    While Depootère will likely start ahead of him this season, Gourgues may be equally equipped as a bench substitute who can turn the pace of the game near its end with his pace. He’s already had a trailblazing start to his career with Toulouse, who have more than enough high-quality centres to drown him out, and he could easily push his way into the 23 with some consistent performances.

    Miscellaneous Wales Predictions:

    1: Louie Hennessey will earn his first cap, albeit from the bench

    2: Louis Rees-Zammit will start at least one game at fullback

    3: The Scotland game is won (by either side) by less than one score

    4: Sam Costelow will come off the bench instead of Jarrod Evans for at least one game

    5: Jac Morgan will be called into the camp for rehab, possibly appearing against Italy

    6: Tom Rogers will be Wales’ top try scorer

  • Wales Six Nations 2026 – Reaction and Analysis

    Wales Six Nations 2026 – Reaction and Analysis

    Having announced his first Six Nations squad, Steve Tandy will aim to end the team’s losing streak from the previous two tournaments, likely with home victories over Scotland and Italy. To do so, he’s played it relatively safe; only two uncapped players, many returners from the previous tour, and likely a similar gameplan as before, hopefully with some of the creases ironed out.

    In this blog, I’ll be going through the squad and providing insight into specific selections, predicting how the squad will likely be used, and selecting the team I would use in the first match against England.

    Front Row:

    Wales have struggled to produce consistent quality from their front-rowers in recent seasons, but the squad actually looks relatively strong here. Nicky Smith and Rhys Carré are two of the PREM’s most consistent looseheads, backed up by the experienced Gareth Thomas. While Kieron Assiratti and Archie Griffin have established themselves as the strongest tightheads available to Wales over their relatively short careers, they’ve frequently struggled against the pressures of international scrums.

    Therefore, it’s a huge boost to have Tomas Francis back, who has had no trouble anchoring the Welsh scrum against some of the strongest in the world. Whether he’s too far into his prime is questionable, but he also brings a wealth of experience; 77 caps to Assiratti and Griffin’s combined 30. Despite his absence from the international scene, he makes a good case to start.

    Update: Kieron Asiratti has been pulled from the Wales squad following a calf injury and has been replaced by Sam Wainwright. While not as experienced as Henry Thomas, Wainwright has a generally better discipline record and is a capable scrummager, and with most of the other options being injured, this is a good opportunity to show what he can do with the jersey.

    At hooker, Ryan Elias makes a welcome return for a Wales side in need of powerful carriers. While not the most reliable at the lineout, he possesses multiple helpful skills as an enforcer similarly to Dewi Lake. As captain, Lake tends to play as deep into games as possible, but Elias’ presence enables the front row to maintain its abrasive edge once the captain leaves. Liam Belcher, meanwhile, is a more technical player in place of the experienced Elliot Dee, though while smaller in size, he’s no less capable of dynamic carries and breakdown work.

    An improved performance from this front-row can help bring Wales’ stronger players into the game, though they’ll have an almighty challenge against England and France right out the gate.

    Second Row:

    Less to talk about here; individually, Dafydd Jenkins and Adam Beard are two of the most effective players Wales can deploy in the second row, and while they may have looked too similar in their strengths to make the most effective combination in the Autumn, Tandy’s other two selections makes this unlikely to change. At the very least, Freddie Thomas’ early injury means he may miss the starting fixture, so if Tandy wants to change things up, he may have to wait.

    Still, Ben Carter and Freddie Thomas are very effective players in the loose, so Wales could’ve done a lot worse here. The Dragons are on a rare surge of form at the moment, and Carter is helping to marshal that with his uncompromising defensive consistency with dominant tackles and turnovers. While Gloucester may be struggling, Freddie Thomas remains an aggressive carrier who is gradually improving his contributions at the setpiece, though whether he retains this role with Wales may change once Teddy Williams returns from injury.

    Beard has come under fire for his lack of attacking contributions (which is fair, though he produced solid work on defence), but his enormous size, lineout skills, and international experience make up for this as a whole. Still, Jenkins looks far above him in terms of form; he’s playing some of his best rugby for Exeter and seems to be getting larger as he matures into a stronger and more composed leader. Provided Beard carries his weight more in the lineout and Jenkins can physically hold off opponents, this area shouldn’t be an issue.

    Back Row:

    A lot more surprising here; though not a poor selection by any means, Tandy has very much avoided selecting on form. The main headline is the lack of Tommy Reffell, though in context I think it makes sense; with Jac Morgan and Aaron Wainwright, two nailed-on squad members, moving outside of Wales next season, it makes more sense to prioritise talents based in Wales and limit the number of players who may not make certain training camps. At the very least, Tandy seems to prefer Olly Cracknell’s powerful ball carrying synergy-wise.

    I left Josh Macleod out of my initial squad on form but I won’t deny he is a capable openside for international duty. His leadership and breakdown work should give him the ability to organise the backrow around him in the place of Jac Morgan. Harri Deaves isn’t really at the same level as a jackaler, but he can more than hold his own as a carrier, plus his workrate can help him out-effort the opposition when his smaller size holds him back.

    Alex Mann can continue to build on his strong showings in the Autumn, though he may not synergise as well with Macleod as Plumtree or Botham, who pack a little more power in contact. Plumtree’s discipline remains a consistent problem, but his athleticism and versatility make him valuable off the bench if needed. Meanwhile, Botham can more than push his way in with his combination of breakdown work and post-contact power. Mann may end up being pushed to cover openside by those two, though which skillset Tandy decides is more important remains to be seen.

    Halfback:

    Tomos Williams and Kieran Hardy keep their expected positions, though the lack of Che Hope is disappointing. Perhaps Tandy wanted the more consistently proven Reuben Morgan-Williams as a backup to the other two, though at 22 years old, one would expect Hope to work his way in as his game management matures.

    As one of Wales’ most talismanic players, Tomos will start every game he’s available for, though he struggled to keep up for the 70+ minute duration Tandy was having him play in the Autumn. As a result, Hardy may get a little more gametime if he’s able to replace Tomos sooner; he may not have the versatility and X-factor, but his fundamentals are more than strong enough to close out the game once the field has been broken up.

    Edwards and Evans will aim to maintain the same attacking system that worked well in the Autumn, but I’m happier than I expected to be to see the trust placed in Sam Costelow. Without him, the Scarlets’ midfield has look slower and less threatening than it can be under his guidance, and with players like Ellis Mee and Eddie James in good form, he adds a level of synergy not possessed by Edwards or Evans. He’s probably still the third choice by system, but if he can keep his confidence he could be a valuable backup.

    A shame not to see Angus O’Brien, though he may be better served as a fullback since he doesn’t fit the skillset needed for 10 as easily for Wales.

    Centres:

    Less to talk about here as it’s a lot of what I expected. Sheratt’s system of a playmaking 12 and a hard-carrying 13 persists with Hawkins and Thomas in the former jersey and likely Eddie James and Owen Watkin in the latter, with Louie Hennessey as a backup. Still, with Watkin and James having significant experience at 12, they could both pair up for a more powerful centre-field combo, though it’s unlikely we’ll see it.

    Thomas had a poor Autumn overall, but he’s been in some of his best form for Cardiff since then, winning two MotM awards and more than proving he can outplay dangerous backlines, which will be needed here. Hawkins still looks a little green, but his extra physical presence and generally stronger Autumn form might give him the edge to start.

    Who starts between Watkin and James is more interesting; Watkin has been a staple player for Wales given his valuable defensive skills and ability to safely link attacking plays, though he lacks the pace to develop them on his own. Eddie James, meanwhile, brings physical traits that Wales are lacking for the most part; you can’t coach more technical centres to be 6’4’’ and 110 kgs, and he’s been in solid form in both centre positions since returning from injury. He isn’t really a jackaler, so the question will ultimately come down to what Tandy needs more of outside the 12; James is more likely to inject some go-forward to the attack, but Watkin is less likely to miss over 3 tackles and lose the game by 40 points.

    Wings:

    If Tommy Reffell missing out was a surprise, Rio Dyer’s absence is a complete curveball; back to some of his best form and being one of the few bright sparks in the South Africa game, Dyer finds himself overlooked in favour of similar, less experienced and less in-form options who bring similar skills. Tandy may be playing it conservatively as he clearly favoured Josh Adams and Tom Rogers in the Autumn, but it’s a real shame as he would’ve been one of my starters against England.

    On the other side of the coin, Gabriel Hamer-Webb finds himself brought in almost a year later than when he left Wales to try his hand with Leicester. While the move hasn’t quite gone as planned (though competing with Adam Radwan and Ollie Hassell-Collins was always going to be an uphill battle if they missed England duty), his past form for Cardiff shows he can be a physical, capable finisher with a solid aerial game, like the other players selected here. If Tandy can create a kick-chase gameplan to exploit other teams in the air, these guys could do a lot of damage.

    Fullbacks:

    Is Blair Murray supposed to be a fullback? It may be optimistic to expect Tandy to just outright drop him from the position he typically plays for the Scarlets, even with Nigel Davies moving Joe Hawkins back to centre. Still, at international level, his height is a fundamental flaw that Tandy’s attempts to cover for can’t hide. With Louis Rees-Zammit consistently performing in this position for Bristol Bears and both Tom Rogers and Ellis Mee being in equally solid form, you’d be hard-pressed to justify him starting in the XV. Still, his playmaking and footwork are more than good enough for this level of rugby, so if Tandy decides that’s the route he wants to go down, he’ll need to step up in the aerial contest.

    My 23 for England:

    With all said and done, Wales are not in for an easy first tow fixtures. England are on fire right now, having won every game since the first match of last year’s Six Nations, and their depth in key areas completely outclasses Wales. While I’m building this XV with their existing structure in mind, Borthwick has shown no trouble in mixing things up between campaigns, and if he picks the right matchup this could get tricky.

    My Team:

    1: Nicky Smith

    2: Dewi Lake

    3: Tomas Francis

    4: Dafydd Jenkins

    5: Adam Beard

    6: Olly Cracknell

    7: Josh Macleod

    8: Aaron Wainwright

    9: Tomos Williams

    10: Dan Edwards

    11: Mason Grady

    12: Joe Hawkins

    13: Owen Watkin

    14: Tom Rogers

    15: Louis Rees-Zammit

    BENCH

    16: Ryan Elias

    17: Rhys Carré

    18: Archie Griffin

    19: Ben Carter

    20: Alex Mann

    21: Kieran Hardy

    22: Jarrod Evans

    23: Ellis Mee

    I think this team has the best balance to take on England, though I’ll run through specific selections in more detail. The front row is, generally, built around the largest and strongest scrummagers available. Without Fin Baxter, the tighthead will likely be facing the elite Ellis Genge, so Francis’ experience easily gives him the edge, although Archie Griffin had a decent showing against him last year. Elias also gets the nod over Liam Belcher, though either could fit there; with either likely to only play around 15 minutes, Elias’ weaker lineout throwing is less of a weakness, while his power is more important in late-game collisions.

    Beard and Jenkins isn’t the most balanced second row, but with Freddie Thomas missing the first game, this is the best way to make use of the available 3 locks; if Beard is playing, his set-piece skills only really matter if he starts. Olly Cracknell fits into 6 to try and provide a ball-carrying option outside of the lineout, as Wainwright is the only backrower in the selection who regularly takes them. With two powerful carriers around Josh Macloed, they should be able to slow down England’s ball and get over the gainline. Alex Mann, meanwhile, can cover 6 and 8 while exploiting tired defenders with his athleticism, and adds an additional jackal option late game.

    Tomos Williams and Dan Edwards start as the best players in their positions, and while Sam Costelow could fit in at 22, Jarrod Evans offers more versatility. Mason Grady brings a more powerful carrier at 11, and both he and Tom Rogers can chase down high balls and pressure out wide. Louis Rees-Zammit can take over from Murray at 15 as he possesses similar strengths, but fewer weaknesses as a fullback, though he may end up kicking more than he’s used to.

    The centre partnership was tricky, but I’ve opted for Joe Hawkins and Owen Watkin; while not the fastest or flashiest combo on attack, Watkin shores up Hawkins’ defensive difficulties and allows him to focus on playmaking, while offering an extra jackal threat as neither Cracknell or Wainwright are excellent over the ball. Eddie Jame may come into the fold later, but against England’s likely combo of Fraser Dingwall and Tommy Freeman, experienced defenders are just more important to not leak points.