Steve Tandy’s 39-man Wales squad for November’s Nations Championship Tests has produced clear winners and losers, with uncapped trio Rhys Barratt, Che Hope and Aneurin Owen the standout beneficiaries.
Uncapped trio
The head coach heaped praise on all three newcomers. “With Che, he’s a really exciting talent and he’s been outstanding for the Dragons,” said Tandy. “Rhys has been consistent and he’s a young loosehead that’s coming through; great around the park and great footballing ability too.
“Aneurin’s been so consistent; you have to keep looking at what he’s done week-in, week-out,” he added. “I’ve spoken to a lot of people about him, how consistent he is and his attitude to work.
“It’s a really exciting opportunity for those guys to step up and for us as coaches to work with them.”
Their selections fit Tandy’s desire to keep evolving the squad and build on the progress made during his tenure, but they also fill key gaps. Barratt adds another promising loosehead to Wales’ growing stock, and he arrives while concerns linger over Rhys Carre. Hope gives Wales another strong option at scrum-half as they look to ease their long-term reliance on Tomos Williams. Owen joins at a time when both centre spots are up for grabs and Ben Thomas is injured.
Their form for Cardiff and the Dragons warranted a call-up, but it is also smart thinking from Tandy.
Injury returners
Five players return after missing the July Tests through injury: Liam Belcher, Tomas Francis, Archie Griffin, Louie Hennessey and Dafydd Jenkins. It is a timely boost for Tandy. Belcher, Francis and Griffin add depth to the front row as Wales look to build set-piece foundations, particularly at the scrum. Jenkins brings leadership qualities to the group alongside fellow generals Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake.
Hennessey is arguably the most interesting of the group. The 22-year-old Bath back has yet to feature this season because of the same injury that ruled him out of the mid-year Tests, yet he gives Wales’ attack a very different dynamic. His size adds bulk to the backline alongside the likes of Eddie James, and his ability to float between centre and wing gives Tandy selection flexibility. He also has the right age profile to lock down a spot long-term and become a major player in this group.
Recalled men
Tandy has also extended an olive branch to Taine Basham, Seb Davies and Rio Dyer, who all return to the Test side after lengthy absences.
“Very, very impressed,” he said of back-rower Basham. “I thought Taine was really impressive at the end of last season, and he’s kicked on. I spoke to him at the back end of last year because he was probably unlucky (to miss out on the squad) but we have a lot of depth in the back-row. But it’s really pleasing for Taine; he’s a great character and it’s a great opportunity for him.”
“Rio’s taken on his feedback and then with some of his aerial contest and work rate, some of the things we’ve looked at,” he added of Dyer. “He thoroughly deserves his recall.”
The trio have all spent extended spells in the Test wilderness. Basham’s last cap came at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Dyer last featured in the 2025 Test against South Africa, and Davies last wore the red jersey in the 2022 Six Nations. They all slot into key positional areas: Basham adds depth to an already strong back row, Davies adds bulk and size at lock, and Dyer gives Tandy extra pace out wide.
If they get back into the side and perform well, they could cement a spot, which is exactly what Tandy will want.
Rhys Carre
Carre would normally be an assumed member of the wider squad, given his quality and influence, but he has yet to play this season because of a hamstring injury. His inclusion despite that concern reflects his importance to Tandy, both now and with one eye on next year’s World Cup.
Carre will only be an asset if he takes the field, and if he does he could give Wales a real leg-up in this campaign.
Dragons
The Dragons have seen their promising start to the season rewarded with six inclusions.
It has not been easy for the Newport-based side in recent years, but two wins, a draw and a loss from their opening four games in all competitions have pushed a number of their players into the Test mix. That might not have happened had they not started so strongly.
This will certainly leave Filo Tiatia beaming.
Tommy Reffell
One of the more eyebrow-raising omissions is in-form Leicester man Tommy Reffell, but it seems he has picked up a knock on club duty.
“Tommy’s unavailable to us with injury, so he’s not in the selection mix,” Tandy explained. “The physios are speaking to Leicester, so we’re a bit unclear on that at the minute.”
It is a huge blow for the head coach, with Reffell starting the new season brilliantly. The Tigers flanker has been one of the standout back-rowers in the PREM this year, alongside clubmate and Wales squad inclusion Aaron Wainwright, and again looked the supreme jackal threat that first pushed him into the Test picture.
Wales can soften the blow with their stacked back-row contingent, but Reffell would undoubtedly have made them stronger.
Taulupe Faletau
Another back-rower unlucky to miss out is Taulupe Faletau, but Tandy insists he is not frozen out.
“Toby, in fairness, has been out for a while, but it’s amazing what he can do,” said the head coach. “We’re not ruling anyone out longer-term, but it was great to see him back in.”
The Cardiff forward only returned to the field this weekend after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, so it feels as though Tandy is giving him the chance to string together a decent run of games first. Tandy has called in both Hennessey and Carre, who have yet to feature at all this season, but given Faletau’s injury history, it feels like the right call for now.
Olly Cracknell
Olly Cracknell is one of the more unlucky omissions, especially given his form for the Tigers. He has again been a real standout for Leicester in the back row, at six or eight, becoming a focal point in the tight with his carrying and adding punch to their defence. He would no doubt have done the same for Wales this November.
He is probably a victim of Wales’ strong back-row depth, with the likes of Wainwright, James Botham and Kane James also able to cover eight.
Macs Page
The 21-year-old Scarlets man is one of the most exciting talents in Welsh rugby right now, but he must bide his time for a maiden Test cap after missing out. A call-up would have made sense: he has started the season in good touch with four tries in four appearances on the wing, and he gives Tandy extra flexibility with his ability to cover centre. But Tandy has good options in his outside backs, and Page will have to wait a little longer.
He will certainly win a cap in the near future, though.
Elliot Dee
Elliot Dee has been in red-hot form at the start of the season, but he misses out on the initial Wales squad. He tops the URC try-scoring charts with five tries from three games, numbers a winger would be proud of, let alone a hooker. Tandy, though, seems to be giving others a shot this time.
Wales’ hooker chart is dominated by the totemic Lake, who is among the best in the world in that position, so the spots beneath him are almost a shootout, and unfortunately Dee just misses out on that group.