Glawio Rugby

My Wales Team for the Barbarians Match – Nations Championship 2026

The last time Wales faced the Barbarians, there was a sense of finality; the last international game in the careers of Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, and Leigh Halfpenny. This time, it’ll also be George North’s final game, bringing an end to yet another international representative of the golden years of Welsh international rugby. With the Barbarians due to play South Africa, we have a glimpse of what the rest of the opposition will look like, but for most of the squad, this kind of test will be the first of its kind.

It’s also uncapped, meaning non-Wales-based players will also be ineligible. This will force Tandy to bring new players into the fold, not helped by many other established players having end-of-season injury concerns. However, much of the squad has recovered in time for the tests, leaving plenty of questions as to how the team will be built. Will established players be trusted to handle the physicality of the Baabaas? Or will new combinations be trialled to prepare for the higher-stakes fixtures of the Nations Championship? Why it’s in Twickenham the week after the PREM final is its own question.

Anyway, here is my team to face the Barbarians next weekend:

1: Gareth Thomas

Thomas hasn’t been the most consistent player for Wales in recent campaigns, but with him and the uncapped Rhys Barratt as the only options, he should be the more well-equipped to handle the Baabaas’ experienced internationals. His chop-tackling skills will also help Wales’ range of jackling specialists.

2: Dewi Lake

Lake could be rested for the Fiji test, but after missing all the post-Six Nations action and with Ryan Elias playing as many minutes as he has, Tandy might want to give the former a chance to resync with international rugby. If Elliot Dee stays with the opposition, it’ll be a fun battle between the 2025 Six Nations hookers. 

3: Dilon Lewis

Well, Assiratti’s injury has come back, so we’re back at the tighthead Wheel of Fortune. Lewis was the second-choice behind Francis for a while, and it’s nice to see him back and playing pretty well for Dragons, having missed most of the season through injury. His scrummaging needs to be strong, but as the largest and by far most experienced tighthead, the 3 jersey really should be his.

4: Ben Carter

With there only being 3 Wales-based locks in the squad, the question is more about composition than selection. Carter had a great Six Nations, has played almost the entire season for Dragons, and is a persistent defender who can help physically bind opposing attacks. He was used largely as a lineout controller during the Six Nations, though that may take a backseat for a more physical presence, as he’s the largest lock available

5: Teddy Willams

It’s all coming together: Teddy appears to be back in full training following his season-ending injury in October last year, and he’ll need to be at his best to stay with the squad going into the Nations Championship. Like Carter, his defensive workrate and lineout skills are very solid, but his faster and more athletic carrying style gives him a real point of difference. If he can disrupt Elliot Dee’s lineout, it’ll be a real achievement.

6: James Botham

Generally, Alex Mann has been the first choice at blindside under Tandy, but not only does Botham offer more physical go-forward and has finished his season in great form, Mann has spent most of the post-Six Nations period injured, ad Tandy will want to keep one of his key players available for the Championship. Botham may get the edge in turn, but should more than seize the opportunity.

7: Jac Morgan

Like Dewi, Jac could be rested for the test games, but there are fewer available back-rowers relative to hookers, so this will likely mark his return to international rugby. Of course, Jac is no stranger to injury breaks, and equally consistent with how well he plays on return; he’s already won Player of the Match in his short epilogue with the Ospreys, and Wales will value his leadership and ruck work alongside the similarly abrasive Botham.

8: Aaron Wainwright

Waino is the only Wales-based 8 (aside from the more versatile Harrison Keddie) so this should be a given. Arguably Wales’ overall player of the season, his powerful carries are as instrumental to Wales’ attack as his workrate is to their defence. The BaaBaas have a very big backrow, but it’s nothing he can’t handle. 

9: Kieran Hardy

Honestly, who knows; Tandy’s barely used anyone besides Tomos Williams so it’s anyone’s guess between the 3 Wales-based scrum-halves. Hardy has almost always been the back up, though, and started the last uncapped game against the Springboks, so it seems like a safe bet. He’s a great support player who tends to score more tries than Williams on average, though he’ll want to show he’s more than a backup if he wants anymore gametime.

10: Sam Costelow

A more controversial pick, but Edwards has played almost 80 minutes of almost every game this year and could use a break, and it’s fair to say Costelow’s strong Six Nations form ended too abruptly for how well he played against Scotland. Even if Edwards takes up the mantle against Fiji, Costelow’s stronger defence makes him a good fit against the Baabaas, and he could use some minutes under his belt if he’s brought in for the Championship tests.

11: Mason Grady

Winger is a tough one; there are five main options available, 3 of which have faced significant injury spells towards the end of the season. Ultimately, Grady was in strong form before being sidelined, and his physicality gives him a real selling point should Tandy wish to rest players higher up the pecking order like Josh Adams.

12: Joe Hawkins

Tandy could decide the Baabaas game is the perfect ground to test a centre combo with Eddie James at 12. Then again, with how much disruption the rest of the team is facing anyway, sticking with the main centre combo is also a smart move. Hawkins hasn’t played much at 12 and has arguably been in worse club form than Ben Thomas, but he offers more physicality and ended the Six Nations well.

13: Eddie James

Is he a 12 or a 13? Really, he’s both, but this is his current position. With a powerful carrying game and a great skill for reading attackers, he’s a natural fit for the jersey when stronger teams come around, and it’d be surprising if Tandy doesn’t try to get as much out of him as possible in preparation for the World Cup.

14: Blair Murray

While I was fairly set on Grady, Murray presents an awkward conundrum; Ellis Mee is higher up my pecking order (and likely Tandy’s) but wing might be a better fit for Murray than fullback at international level given his inconsistent airgame. If they’re going to try it, this is a good testing ground, and Ellis Mee’s injury towards the end of the season makes resting him another concern. Still, Murray’s pace, agility, and strong kicking game make him an asset to the Welsh backline.

15: Tom Rogers

Similarly to Murray, this might be a good place to test Rogers’ credentials as a fullback, especially with Louis Rees-Zammit wanting to be a winger. His move to Ospreys suggests this is his preferred position, though he’ll have competition there as well. Either way, he’s better under the high ball than Murray, has a strong kicking game, and can just as comfortably attack on his own.

BENCH

16: Evan Lloyd

Ryan Elias and Liam Belcher are clearly above him in the pecking order, but Lloyd is the only one of the three to really gain from playing this fixture. His X-factor is clear, but he hasn’t managed to translate his power into a strong performance at international level. To earn a spot in the Nations Championship team, he’ll need to prove he can cut it at this level.

17: Rhys Barratt

Barratt’s overall game looks good, but the question will be if he can maintain that output at international level. Like Archie Griffin, he brings a constant defensive presence, but his scrummaging has looked a lot better this season than Griffin’s. With a lot of competition among the younger looseheads, this is a good opportunity to show how he compares.

18: Ben Warren

Between Warren and Sam Wainwright, there isn’t much separating them; they’re both the third choices at their clubs, and haven’t amassed much gametime for different reasons. Wainwright is more likely to lock down the scrum, but Warren is closer to Lewis in skillset; he can carry well, tackle hard, and get work done over the ball. I’m expecting both to get gametime at some point.

19: Ryan Woodman

Woodman prefers blindside, but is just as comfortable at lock. Still, his relative lack of size make the bench a more tactical choice; keeping the scrum at full power for the majority of the match, then leveraging his carrying game later on. His lineout stealing skills are also similar to Teddy Williams, so it’s synergistically fitting for him to replace the latter as well.

20: Taine Plumtree

Discipline aside, Plumtree finished his season strong after returning from injury. He’s consistently been one of the Scarlets’ strongest performers, and his dynamism and versatility make him a natural bench pick for Wales on any given day. With the backrow most likely to be trimmed down, and the other players’ hold over the starting jerseys, a strong performance here increases his likelihood of featuring in the bigger games.

21: Harrison Keddie

The Baabaas have a big backrow, as mentioned earlier, so a 6-2 bench will help manage their physicality. Keddie is the only other backrower besides Mann, and has had a strong season for Dragons as Waino’s deputy, so he’ll likely play a similar role here; carrying hard into contact, adding power in the ruck, and landing powerful hits in defence. His versatility is also helpful, like Plumtree, and he’ll want to prove he can compete at this level to retain a place in the squad.

22: Reuben Morgan-Williams

Ellis Bevan could fit in here, as he likely won’t get much opportunity otherwise, but even with this being his fourth successive Wales campaign, it feels like RMW has had just as little chance. Being slightly younger than Williams and Hardy, he may be viewed as their successor post-World Cup, but he’ll need more gametime after some promising touches and consistent regional performances.

23: Joe Roberts

Roberts also had a strong end to the season for Scarlets, and while it’s strange to forgo an option for fullback or fly-half cover, his attacking mindset could be helpful in the late game. Should Eddie James move to 12, he’s a natural partner, with the two having worked together for the better part of 2 years, and he’s had a lot more gametime out on the wing this season, should the need arise.