Following the announcement of Warren Gatland’s 35-man squad for the Autumn Nations Series, Planet Rugby picks out the winners and losers.
The New Zealand-native has kept a large core of the squad that toured Australia together, however, he has also turned to some experienced heads as they look to turn competitive performances into wins this November.
As with any international selection, there are plenty of talking points, and this Wales squad is no exception to that rule. So, with that in mind, here are our winners and losers from the announcement.
Winners
Nicky Smith
Loosehead prop Nicky Smith has been in the international wilderness since the World Cup, but his form for Leicester simply couldn’t be ignored. Following his move over the bridge, Smith has arguably been one of the best scrummaging looseheads in the Premiership, and this is a huge boost for Wales. They struggled to find consistency in their scrum against Australia, but with Smith back in the mix it looks like this could soon be an issue of the past.
Aaron Wainwright
Wales’ big basher Aaron Wainwright is back up and running following a lengthy injury, and comes straight into this Wales squad. The Dragons back-rower was Wales’ go-to man earlier this year, and his injury left a gaping hole in the side against Australia in Test two. He is such a powerful ball-carrier, and can consistently drag his team over the gainline. Wainwright will also add an experienced head to a younger group, which will be crucial.
Dewi Lake
Another man returning from the sidelines is Wales skipper Dewi Lake, who has made it back in time for the Autumn Nations Series. Lake was monumental Down Under despite the series whitewash, and will likely be the figurehead in this side once again. His leadership will also be important to this Welsh side.
Uncapped duo
Freddie Thomas and Blair Murray are rewarded for their solid club form with a call-up into the Welsh squad for the Autumn Nations Series, and it’s a very clever move from Gatland to cap the pair.
Gloucester lock Thomas, who previously played for England at both U18 and U20 level, has been in fantastic form in the early stages of the Premiership season, and at just 22 years old he could be part of this Wales squad for some time. He also fills a hole in the squad right now, as Gatland will be without former skipper Dafydd Jenkins for this upcoming block.
New Zealand-native Murray has also been in decent form with the Scarlets, starting all five of their URC matches this season. He is still also a youngster, at just 23, and like Thomas could be around the Wales squad for some time.
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Gloucester aces
There is a spattering of Cherry and White amongst this Wales squad, as five Gloucester players make Gatland’s group. Scrum-half Tomos Williams and versatile outside back Max Llewellyn have both been in scintillating form in the early stages of the Premiership season and will want to carry this on in the red of Wales. Elsewhere, Gareth Anscombe is a welcome return to the squad, and he will add so much experience to this young team, as well as his usual quality.
Youngsters Thomas – mentioned above – and Hathaway are the final two Gloucester inclusions, and could easily be part of the 23 this November. Hathaway’s experience of life at Test level in the Australia tour will also serve him well this autumn, and he will likely be a better player for it.
High-profile returnees
Rounding off our list of winners are the high-profile returnees in Gatland’s squad. Adam Beard, Ryan Elias, Jac Morgan, Will Rowlands and Henry Thomas will all be welcome inclusions as they bring a wealth of experience to the group, with the quintet having 149 caps between them. Furthermore, they also bring heaps of quality to proceedings; in particular, Morgan, who was earning Lions shouts during the World Cup.
Losers
Liam Williams
The highest-profile loser from this Wales squad is Liam Williams, who misses out despite being included in the summer tour. The versatile back is now back in Japan after a proposed return to Wales fell through, and Gatland has opted not to name him in his 35-man squad. Williams would have added so much experience to the squad though, with 92 caps to his name at the time of writing, and this could have helped players like Hathaway and Murray.
Aneurin Owen
Dragons centre Aneurin Owen is fairly unlucky to miss out given his solid start to the URC. Centre is an area Wales are struggling in at the moment, with Mason Grady and Owen Watkin yet to fully gel at 12 and 13, and Joe Hawkins currently unavailable for selection too; but Owen could have been the solution. The back is also 24 years old, which fits Gatland’s desired age profile, and you feel this is a missed opportunity to give him a go at Test level.
Taine Basham
The back-row is a hotly contested area for Wales right now, and unfortunately, that means Taine Basham doesn’t make the cut this time around. The Dragons powerhouse is a versatile option, capable of covering all three positions in the back-row, and has proved he can perform at the Test stage at the World Cup. It’s one of those where you feel competition for spots has pushed him out of the picture.
Dan Edwards
Another youngster who could have been called into the Wales squad is Dan Edwards, who has impressed for the Ospreys this season. Again, fly-half is potentially a weaker area for Wales right now, with no clear front-runner taking the starting shirt consistently, and his age profile also makes him a decent option to bring in, even as a development option.
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Callum Sheedy
Speaking of fly-half options, Callum Sheedy can feel fairly hard done by not to be in the Wales squad this time around. The Cardiff man has impressed upon his return back across the bridge and seems a more refreshed player for it. As mentioned above, there isn’t a clear front-runner to play in the starting 10 role, and this could have been Sheedy’s chance to make it his own.
Teddy Williams
Another forward who misses out on the squad is Teddy Williams, but again this could be down to options ahead of him rather than anything else. The Cardiff man has looked in decent touch in the early stages of the URC season, starting all five of his side’s opening fixtures. Like many on this list, Williams is a good age profile to fit Gatland’s plans at the moment, but lock is a fairly strong area for the Kiwi right now.
Kieran Hardy
Following the retirement of Gareth Davies, you felt now could have Kieran Hardy’s chance to properly come back into the Wales squad, and he can feel hard done by not to be named. Tomos Williams’ form likely points to him being the starting option this November, but outside of that, there is a gap in the pecking order which could have been Hardy’s. The 28-year-old would have added some decent experience too, with 25 caps to his name to date.
The regions
A big loser in this squad is the four regions themselves. 10 of Wales’ 35-man-squad have come from clubs outside of Wales – with five coming from Gloucester alone – and this is actually larger than any selection from any URC side, and this only highlights the current issues with the regions at the moment.
Wales have made steps to promote the regions in the past few years, but yet the mass exodus doesn’t look like ending anytime soon.
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