My Wales Squad – Six Nations 2026
After a mixed Autumn campaign and some interesting results at club level over the festive period, Tandy will be announcing his squad for the upcoming Six Nations. Among regional uncertainty, Wales will need to compete with an in-form England, full-strength France, still-growing Italy, as well as Ireland and Scotland, who’ve had their struggles in 2025 but still possess the strength and depth to compete with the best. Understandably, Wales are likely to finish in the bottom half of the standings.
With England and Ireland away from home and France still being so strong, Scotland and Italy will be Wales’ best chances at ending their Six Nations losing streak. Still, it’s not all bleak; Wales ultimately improved as the year progressed, and while significant issues remain, their performances against Ireland and Scotland last year show enough promise that a victory is certainly achievable.
General Playstyle:
Overall, Wales played with the expected tactics; a playmaking 12, a team that can carry with agility and mobility over power, and a high ruck speed. Still, they fell apart defensively compared to their opposition, the lineout needed refining, and they were comfortably defeated in the air. Fixing these issues starts with selection.
While Wales scrum improved overall (before being demolished by a more powerful South Africa pack), Wales aren’t really in a position to compete with top sides physically. For reference, what is generally agreed to be France’s strongest backrow (Cros, Olllivon, Alldritt) consists of 3 players who are at least 110kgs; across all of 2025, only Taulupe Faletau and Olly Cracknell are that large among Wales’ used backrowers. That’s not getting into the likes of Meafou and Antonoi, who are even larger again. Wales simply lack the options to compete in pure size (besides Rhys Carré and Dewi Lake), but mitigating this gap as much as possible will be a notable priority in selection.
Wales also missed far too many tackles, leaving them vulnerable against the well-organised attacks of their opposition and almost cost them the game against Japan. More dominant tackles need to be achieved, as well as better openside cover as Wales were very quiet at the breakdown without Jac Morgan.
As a final note, with Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake, and Aaron Wainwright so far confirmed to be leaving the Welsh regions, Tandy may need to prioritise Wales-based players to accommodate their elite internationals when they move overseas and keep a sufficient number of players in camp during international breaks.
Props:
While Wales struggle for quality in this area, there was a considerable improvement at scrumtime to suggest it’s getting a little easier, though depth remains an issue.
Loosehead is relatively straightforward; Nicky Smith remains one of the strongest scrummaging props in the Gallagher PREM, while Rhys Carré is an incredibly powerful carrier who makes great use of his size. It’s less a question of who will play and more of who starts. The third spot is more debatable; Gareth Thomas has held this position for a while now, but his performance dropped considerably in the autumn, while Danny Southworth and Garyn Phillips have put on excellent performances over the winter. Thomas’ injury will keep him out until the end of January, but with his experience and defensive work, you’d be surprised if he’s left out of the squad.
Tighthead is the same old problem, though Assiratti has more than established himself as the first choice now, which at least solves that headache. His scrummaging work held out well against even the larger packs like New Zealand, and his carrying remains solid. Archie Griffin will continue to develop, but Christian Coleman remains injured after being taken off against South Africa.
As almost all of the other candidates I’d consider are injured, the return of Tomas Francis from Provence is a major boost to Tandy. While he won’t leave France until next season, he has expressed an interest in continuing his Welsh career, and his size and ability to anchor a scrum is unmatched by Wales’ other props, especially as he has had far more gametime for high-flying Provence so far this season. Henry Thomas is his closest equivalent based in Wales, while Sam Wainwright and Rhys Henry offer younger options.
With 2 out of 3 props on both sides of the scrum being based in the PREM next season, it isn’t ideal, and Southworth and Thomas could be called up to camp for training purposes, but with the limited options available, I think these selections strike the right balance of experience, scrummaging, and around-the-field prowess.
My Choices: Nicky Smith, Rhys Carré, Gareth Thomas, Kieron Assiratti, Archie Griffin, Tomas Francis
Injury/Training Cover: Danny Southworth, Henry Thomas
Hooker:
Dewi Lake remains one of Wales’ best forwards, but his lineout remains a persistent problem. Still, it’s not as though Wales are blessed with excellent lineout throwers, especially with Elliot Dee out injured, and none of them really compete with Lake over the ball, at the scrum, or in the carry. Liam Belcher is maybe not the largest option available, but he offers the most like-for-like replacement for Dee; his darts have been good so far for Cardiff, but his dynamic carrying is his point of difference.
Brodie Coghlan was the third man in the autumn, and while he has returned from injury, he’s barely played since November. Therefore, calling in a different player may be preferred. It’s between Evan Lloyd and Ryan Elias for me; Lloyd is the faster and more dynamic option, and though young, has clearly identified potential to be a superb international, while Elias has over 40 caps to his name and has been consistently strong for a struggling Scarlets side.
Elias just takes it on his better defensive work and slightly more consistent darts, but neither excels in this area and Lloyd or Coghlan are similarly viable alternatives.
My Choices: Dewi Lake, Liam Belcher, Ryan Elias
Injury Cover: Evan Lloyd
Locks:
A combination of Dafydd Jenkons and Adam Beard was used in the autumn, but generally lacked dynamism and couldn’t resolve the lineout issues on its own. While both players retain their positions in my squad, as Jenkins is one of the most consistent players in the team and Beard’s experience and setpiece skills are invaluable, I think a new combination will need to be tested to physically compete with other teams.
Ben Carter and Rhys Davies are generally stronger carriers into contact, and while neither can match the size of players like George Martin or Emmanuel Meafou, they can knock down defensive lines to create space for other players. Both have been in great form for Dragons and Ospreys respectively, and both are very consistent tacklers, averaging around 90% tackle success rate with plenty of dominant tackles and turnovers.
Freddie Thomas has held this position in the squad for a while, but his lack of international gametime in the autumn doesn’t do much to defend him. With him being based out of Wales, it’s harder to justify his selection over Jenkins and Beard. If Beard is injured, however, we may see players like James Fender being called up, as his size and lineout skills make him a like-for-like option.
However, for the experience he provides, I’ve selected Jake Ball; though not a long-term call, he provides a similar level of power up-front, while he acts as a second experienced option if Beard is missing. He can realistically push for a starting spot, but can also drive standards around camp to help Carter and Davies understand their roles.
My Choices: Dafydd Jenkins, Adam Beard, Ben Carter, Rhys Davies, Jake Ball
Injury Cover: Freddie Thomas, James Fender
Back Row:
One of Wales’ deeper positions, though Jac Morgan’s injury means he will miss most if not all of the tournament, which is a considerable issue. While Wales have depth at openside, none of Wales’ opensides can match his all-around game, meaning that the backrow will need to be reshuffled to accommodate for it. Especially unhelpful is both Morgan and Wainwright’s announced departure from Welsh rugby; while Wales have good depth at regional level to support this, some players might be cut from future campaigns to ensure enough backrowers are available around camp.
Still, Wainwright’s inclusion is a priority, as one of Wales’ best players, while Alex Mann should be retained for his Autumn consistency. He may not be the largest, but he provides a solid lineout and jackling option with his high workrate. Morgan Morse should also be retained; while he was limited to bench appearances in the autumn, he’s the full package on both sides of the ball and will only continue to develop.
For the openside cover, Tommy Reffell should be recalled; while being based in Leicester will cause issues, his breakdown work and defensive consistency is hard to match, and he certainly has the experience required for the Six Nations. Josh Macleod could make a good deputy, though his tackle success rate so far this season has been relatively poor; 71% and 74% in both competitions. With how many tackles Wales missed last season, they may value James Botham’s physical edge and more consistent defence; while he isn’t a specialist openside, his versatility is very useful and his turnover rate is as consistent as Macleod’s.
Olly Cracknell was also called up in the autumn, but with Morgan and Wainwright leaving Wales, he or Reffell may have to be dropped going forward. While Alun Lawrence or Morgan Morris don’t have the same power, the former is a very strong defender with a high workrate, while the latter offers more of a breakdown threat, and both are powerful carriers who are among their region’s better players. Lawrence’s more extensive gametime might edge him ahead, but either could work as a solid foil to Wainwright, making short and disposable carries that can aid Wales’ attack.
Lastly, with Taulupe Faletau set to miss the Six Nations, Ross Moriarty’s international experience gives him the edge over Ryan Woodman; both can act as a stronger physical option to Mann, but with Lawrence uncapped and Mann, Morse, and Botham having under 20 caps, Moriarty can act as an extra carrying option who is certainly used to the physicality of the competition.
My Choices: Alex Mann, Tommy Reffell, Aaron Wainwright, Morgan Morse, James Botham, Alun Lawrence, Ross Moriarty
Injury Cover: Ryan Woodman, Josh Macleod, Olly Cracknell
Scrum-Half:
Tomos Williams is a nailed-on starter for as long as he is available, and his presence will be especially important without the talismanic Jac Morgan. Wales’ ruck speed was consistently high while he was on the field, and while he struggles to keep that quality high for 80 minutes, none of Wales’ present scrum-halves can compete with his game management and overall X-factor. Ball speed is crucial for phase-based attacking structures, which Wales will need to rely on against larger teams.
Kieran Hardy hasn’t had the best 2025 at international level, but remains the strongest scrum-half based in Wales for his strong fundamentals and ability to effectively finish attacking phases. His performances over the festive period show how easily he can tear apart defences, while his kicking game continues to improve. Reuben Morgan-Williams backed him up against South Africa, but at regional level hasn’t really hit his usual stride, dropping him behind the others in the pecking order.
However, Che Hope has entered the equation. Wales lack consistent quality among their younger scrum-halves, with no clear option to succeed Williams after the World Cup, but Hope has emerged as a serious contender following his exceptional performances for the Dragons over the festive period. While his game management isn’t at test-starting level yet, he can more than push Hardy for a bench spot and is someone Tandy must consider investing in.
My Choices: Tomos Williams, Kieran Hardy, Che Hope
Injury Cover: Reuben Morgan-Williams
Fly-Half
Dan Edwards has started to lock down the starting 10 jersey, as he progressively looks more and more comfortable at test level. While Wales will need to build younger depth with players like Sam Costelow or Ioan Lloyd, Edwards’ game management has been far more confident and consistent than theirs, but his ability to make quick breaks and seize opportunities to score tries gives him a serious point of difference above other Six Nations fly halves, let alone Wales’ options.
More experienced players will likely back him up, as Jarrod Evans fits well into Matt Sherratt’s attack system with his ability to cover 10 and 12. His gametime over the autumn wasn’t particularly vast but he made the most of his limited appearances off the bench, which will likely be his role as he struggles to lead games when starting. Whether or not he is replaced by Costelow going forward will likely depend on how he performs here.
Callum Sheedy’s experience with the squad and his consistent playmaking skills for Cardiff narrowly earn him the third fly-half spot, as few of the other options compete with him in these areas, while his goal-kicking kryptonite factor has lessened as the season has gone on. Angus O’Brien is another option who can more easily cover 15, but there exist plenty of other players who can do the same and he lacks Sheedy’s defensive merits.
My Choices: Dan Edwards, Jarrod Evans, Callum Sheedy
Injury Cover: Angus O’Brien
Centres:
Wales persisted with their playmaking 12, hard-carrying 13 strategy throughout the autumn, though Ben Thomas was replaced by Joe Hawkins after failing to perform against Argentina and Japan. Both are likely to be retained, though Hawkins has mostly played 10 for the Scarlets and has struggled defensively, while Thomas is back to his best form for Cardiff and has won two MotM awards in victories over Ulster and Racing, so who starts remains to be seen.
Eddie James will aim to push for a starting spot too, especially with Max Llewellyn’s injury. He has all the fundamental skills for test rugby, his large size and powerful carrying paired with a strong offloading game being his best traits, and will be an important player to develop for the future. Covering both 12 and 13, he might push the smaller Nick Tompkins out of the squad.
Lastly, some specialist 13s will need to replace Llewellyn. Owen Watkin is the most experienced option, and given Hawkins and Thomas’ defensive struggles, he should get in. Between the younger options, Joe Roberts and Louie Hennessey, they offer a quicker paced option though neither are as effective on defence. Hennessey better fits the power that Tandy wants from his centres, so I’ve given him the edge.
My Choices: Ben Thomas, Joe Hawkins, Eddie James, Owen Watkin, Louie Hennessey
Injury Cover: Nick Tompkins, Joe Roberts
Outside Backs:
I’m keeping fullbacks and wingers together for the sake of this blog, as there will be considerable overlap compared to last time. While one of Wales’ deepest player pools for international-level quality, the back three didn’t always perform consistently during the autumn, in large part due to difficulties in managing the high ball. With Leigh Halfpenny retired and Liam Williams struggling to reach the standards needed from an international fullback, Wales need to resolve their issues with the 15 jersey and nail down their best combination of wingers as soon as possible to compete with the quality of Europe’s best.
While he has spent the majority of his career on the wing, Louis Rees-Zammit has firmly established himself in the 15 jersey for Bristol since returning to rugby union, and in a position where he can maximise his touches and start attacks, he could be similarly deadly for Wales. Blair Murray may be an excellent attacker, but he has struggled massively in the air and this leaves Wales vulnerable to the high ball. He may still make it in based on his establishment in the system, as Wales don’t have any real competition for in-form fullbacks with Cam Winnett struggling and Jacob Beetham’s limited gametime.
Meanwhile, Tom Rogers should be a safe bet following his excellent outing against the All Blacks, making rugby history and continuing to develop at this level. At regional level, Mason Grady has fitted into his new role as a winger exceptionally, making for a uniquely powerful carrying threat that can be difficult to answer, while Rio Dyer is back to his best form for the Dragons. Either makes for a viable partner to Rogers on the wing, and I’d be surprised to see either missing from the international setup.
For the last two spots, it’s between the aforementioned Murray, the experienced Josh Adams, and the rising star of Ellis Mee. Ospreys’ Keelan Giles may also get in, but perhaps overlaps too closely with Murray. Adams has been an excellent servant to Welsh Rugby over the past 8 years, but has struggled to maintain consistency in recent seasons and is progressively threatened as more players rise to the challenge for their clubs. Ellis Mee can’t match Adams’ portfolio, and both have been in similarly strong form for their clubs, notable for Mee given how much the Scarlets have struggled, but he remains a player worth investment who can cover both wings and fullback, and possesses strong game-reading ability for a player his age.
How Tandy feels these players will fit into his system the best will likely prove the deciding factor, and quality players will miss out no matter what. But with how well the Scarlets back-three axis worked last year, and with Rees-Zammit and Dyer having considerable international experience themselves, I’ve taken the risk of dropping Josh Adams to the injury list.
My Choices: Louis Rees-Zammit, Tom Rogers, Mason Grady, Rio Dyer, Blair Murray, Ellis Mee
Injury Cover: Josh Adams, Jacob Beetham
Summary:
Wales may be underdogs, but there were enough strong performances over the festive period to suggest that the players are ready to compete at the Six Nations, especially with Cardiff and Ospreys’ European performances. While Wales had a difficult autumn on defence, they more than held their own in attack against their opposition, so Tandy will be aiming to build upon this in the Six Nations. In the opening two rounds of last campaign, Wales were criticised for their unimaginative and unmotivated attack; this time, it will certainly be different.
Still, England and France being up first will no doubt present considerable difficulties; any positives gained from these encounters will be valued highly. Provided defensive shortcomings are managed, Wales have a solid shout at beating Scotland and Italy at home, but after the struggles of the past two years, any victory will be appreciated for developing Welsh rugby.
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