Let the speculation begin

[UKHamlet]

Tandy's possible matchday squad presents a number of conundrums. Steffan Thomas of Wales Online reckons there are only seven nailed-on starters. These are:

Dewi Lake, Dafydd Jenkins, Adam Beard, Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright, Tomos Williams, Louis Rees-Zammit (if fit).

In today's article, he goes on to discuss what the other options might be.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... t-32787294

Who joins Lake in the front-row?

Tandy has some decent options at loosehead. The decision to recall Rhys Carré is crucial because it gives Wales an extra carrying option.

There is a dearth of explosive ball carriers capable of making significant post-contact metres so it would be a surprise if Carré wasn't utilised this autumn. The question is will Tandy start with the Saracens man or use him as an impact player off the bench?

Nicky Smith is the superior scrummager so may get the nod to start while Gareth Thomas has been a solid and reliable performer for Wales.
Over on the tighthead it is realistically between Archie Griffin and Keiron Assiratti for the number three shirt. Griffin has a relatively high ceiling but has struggled for game time at Bath this season.

Back-row balance

Faletau's absence through injury means Tandy has some key decisions to make in the back row. As always it isn't necessarily about selecting the best players but the right balance.

Morgan is nailed on and Wainwright isn't far behind but who joins them? Tandy has some decent options with Faletau's replacement Olly Cracknell one of the form backrowers in the Gallagher Prem.

The Leicester Tigers man is a powerful carrier which is something Wales has missed in recent times. Morgan Morse is highly likely to be Faletau's long-term successor so it wouldn't be a surprise if Tandy invested in the Ospreys man.

Given the size of the Pumas back-row there is also the option of a hybrid like moving Gloucester lock Freddie Thomas to the blindside.

Alex Mann and Taine Plumtree provide more athletic options.

Who steers the ship at number 10?

Every successful side needs a world class outside-half to drive the team forward. Wales have struggled at number 10 since Dan Biggar stepped away at the conclusion of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Warren Gatland tried the likes of Sam Costelow, Ioan Lloyd and Ben Thomas in the number 10 shirt, but none convinced.

Costelow is young enough to come again but he has been left out of Tandy's first squad. Dan Edwards, Callum Sheedy and Jarrod Evans are in while Cardiff centre Thomas is also an option.

Ospreys playmaker Edwards may be the long-term successor to Biggar's throne, but he needs to grab the shirt by the scruff of the neck next month.

It cannot be overstated how important it is that Tandy finds an answer at number 10 by the end of the autumn.

Centre partnership

Wales have chopped and changed the midfield since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, which hasn't helped the cohesion of the team.

Both Tandy and his attack coach Matt Sherratt need to find the correct balance in order to get Wales firing with ball in hand. Sherratt is a big fan of Cardiff playmaker Ben Thomas who is in the mould of a Southern Hemisphere second five-eighth.

Thomas and Gloucester's Max Llewellyn partnered each other in midfield for Wales at times last season but never really fired, although they were operating behind a pack on the back foot.

But the form centre in the squad is Nick Tompkins who has been outstanding for Saracens in the Gallagher Prem, while Bath's Louie Hennessey is an intriguing option with his power and offloading game a potential asset.

Joe Hawkins is also back for the first time since 2023 and offers something a little bit different to the other options.

Getting the balance of the 10-12-13 axis correct will be crucial to Wales' chances this autumn.

Some tight calls in the back-three

The back-three is an area where Wales do have some depth. It is hard to envisage Rees-Zammit not starting if fit and the 24-year-old will add some X-factor to this Wales back division.

Blair Murray was a bright spark in a dark season last term and is an electric broken field runner capable of creating try scoring opportunities out of nothing.

But even so, he is arguably not a guaranteed starter and Tandy may prefer Jacob Beetham at full-back. Beetham's size and aerial ability is a big bonus, while is also a very intelligent footballer.

The 24-year-old is an ideal bench option because he can cover the back-three and the midfield so it will be interesting to see which way Tandy goes at full-back.

It is also a very tight call between Josh Adams and Tom Rogers, both of whom have been playing well of late while Rio Dyer is also back in the mix.

[UKHamlet]

My favoured starting XV is:

Front row: Rhys Carré - Dewi Lake (C) - Keiron Assirati
Second Row: Dafydd Jenkins - Adam Beard
Back Row: Jack Morgan - Morgan Morse - Aaron Wainwright
Scrum Half: Tomos Williams
Standoff Half: Dan Edwards
Centres: Ben Thomas - Joe Hawkins
Back Three: Louis Rees-Zammit - Blair Murray - Tom Rogers

My bench:

Nicky Smith
Archie Griffin
Brodie Coghlan
James Fender
Olly Cracknell
Reuben Morgan-Williams
Jacob Beetham or Josh Adams - either will do. Adams has the experience; Beetham is a huge lump. Or they may go for a second number 10, although Joe Hawkins (or Ben Thomas, although hopefully not) can do that job in a pinch. If they do go for a ten, then Sheedy has the pace to disrupt, and can play FB. We'd need to make sure Ben was doing the kicking though.

He may go for size, though, and start Cracknell and Beetham in place of Morse and Murray, who will drop to the bench. I wouldn't be averse to that.

[normanski]

By the sounds of it Tandy is making the right decisions. His coaches seem to be gelling with the squad, especially the younger ones.

Getting the monkey off the back of the boys in June is going to be a great help this autumn. I hope it’s broken the defeatist attitude so many held, in and out of Wales, players and fans, and that it gives the team the confidence to grit their teeth to eke out a win against Argentina and Japan.

Hammy has given a great exposition of the team. I just pray this is a real turning point for our prospects.

[Sandydragon]

I think Carre has to start. I don’t think he’s fit enough for the full 80 and if the starting LH gets injured early, it’s not good. Having impact players on the bench is important, but equally we need some ball carriers to start.

I’d play LRZ as well.

M not sure about that centre combo. I think it’s go for a proven carrier over Hawkins and Thomas alongside one of them.

[UKHamlet]

I think Carre has to start. I don’t think he’s fit enough for the full 80 and if the starting LH gets injured early, it’s not good. Having impact players on the bench is important, but equally we need some ball carriers to start.

I’d play LRZ as well.

M not sure about that centre combo. I think it’s go for a proven carrier over Hawkins and Thomas alongside one of them.

I wouldn't be annoyed if Ben got dropped in favour of moving Hawkins to 12 and putting Llewelyn to 13. The problem with that is that we will need a second kicker somewhere in the team.

[Ross. S]

Whats happened with Tshiunza? Feels like I haven't seen him in years. Has he been perpetually injured or has he just fallen off the map? Please don't tell me he's waiting to defect....

[pompey-zebra]

Whats happened with Tshiunza? Feels like I haven't seen him in years. Has he been perpetually injured or has he just fallen off the map? Please don't tell me he's waiting to defect....

Broke his foot last month playing for Exeter, and might not be playing again until January.