Wales team winners and losers: Warren Gatland unearths the ‘Welsh Kurt-Lee Arendse’ and ‘finally sees the light’ with returning forward
Nicky Smith makes the Wales squad to face Fiji.
Following the announcement of the Wales team to tackle Fiji at the Principality Stadium, we unpack Warren Gatland’s selections to pick our winners and losers.
The head coach has once again experimented in a few positions but there are signs that he is starting to put together a solid 23 having endured a dreadful 2024 so far, which has seen them lose eight in a row this year.
Without further ado, here are our winners and losers from the Wales team named to take on Fiji.
Winners
Blair Murray
Small in stature but big in heart, the fleet-footed wing will make his Test debut just a few months after joining the Scarlets from Canterbury. Murray was born and raised in New Zealand but he qualifies for Wales through his mother and gets his first Test shot against Fiji this weekend.
Blessed with pace and balance, the 23-year-old is a significant threat in broken field, while he is a smart player who takes good lines. The only concern will be his size but that hasn’t prevented the diminutive South African wings from becoming world-class players. In fact, he has been described by popular writer Paul Williams as someone who could be the ‘Welsh Kurt-Lee Arendse’, so it will be fascinating to see how he goes on Sunday.
Tommy Reffell
After Jac Morgan got injured prior to the 2024 Six Nations, Reffell was handed the seven shirt on a consistent basis and he thrived despite Wales’ struggles, being one of their best players in both that tournament and against Australia later that year.
Although Morgan has since returned from injury, Reffell retains his place in what looks a nicely balanced back-row. Alongside Taine Plumtree and Aaron Wainwright, who will carry hard, make their tackles and be useful lineout options, it allows the Leicester Tigers flanker to do his pilfering work at the breakdown.
Max Llewellyn
Rewarded for his fine form for Gloucester, the powerful centre gets an opportunity alongside playmaker Ben Thomas in the midfield. Llewellyn had a slow start to life at the Cherry and Whites, initially struggling to make the XV, but he impressed towards the back end of the 2023/24 campaign and has excelled this season.
He will therefore look to take that form into the Autumn Nations Series and cement his place in the team. With fellow powerhouse Mason Grady outside him, who combines with the lighting quick Murray and Cam Winnett in the back three, Gatland could have found the answer in the backline.
Dewi Lake
We are also liking what the head coach has done up front, which includes keeping the excellent Lake as skipper. The hooker has previously split the leadership responsibility with Morgan, but he took on the role against the Wallabies in July and Gatland has kept faith in him for the Autumn Nations Series.
It is not just as a captain Lake has shone but in his all-round game. An absolute workhorse, who is relentless on both sides of the ball, the 25-year-old has become a key cog for Wales and will look to continue that form over the next few weeks.
Nicky Smith
Finally, Gatland saw the light and included the loosehead in the wider training squad. The head coach has now gone one step further and put him in the 23 for this clash, albeit on the bench. Smith did go to the Rugby World Cup last year but he only appeared twice and then missed out completely in the Six Nations and the mid-year Tests.
Since then, the prop has moved to English Premiership side Leicester and made a mockery of his previous non-selection. Just like he did at the Ospreys, Smith has been superb in the set-piece, dominating in the scrum, and has arguably been the league’s best signing.
Losers
Nick Tompkins
It has never truly happened for the Saracens star at international level and he now finds himself out of the 23. Tompkins formed a good combination with George North during the 2023 Rugby World Cup and those two rekindled that partnership in the following Six Nations, but the 29-year-old struggled in that tournament.
He may not have been the only one who faltered as Wales went winless, but Tompkins was shifted to the bench for the Australia Tests and he has now been ousted from the 23 completely. The former England U20 representative has gradually slipped down the pecking order and it will be interesting to see if he can get back in during the next couple of games.
Owen Watkin
Like Tompkins, Watkin has fallen out of favour despite being selected in the wider squad for the Autumn Nations Series. He started two games in the 2024 Six Nations and then followed that up by taking his place at 13 for all three Tests in the mid-year series.
The Ospreys centre failed to really impress, however, and he has now been usurped by Llewellyn who, as mentioned, has been in stunning form for Gloucester. The 28-year-old has earned over 40 caps for Wales but he has never really felt like the long-term option.
Rio Dyer
One of Wales’ better performers during their recent struggles, but the speedster has now been dropped and doesn’t even make the 23. There is still plenty of time for the 24-year-old to make his way back in but, after starting their last eight Tests, rookie Murray has been preferred on that left wing.
It hasn’t helped that Dyer has not been at his best for the Dragons in the United Rugby Championship so far this season and, as a result, he had paid the price.
Sam Costelow
The talented playmaker has retained his place in the 23 but once again he has been overlooked for a starting role. It suggests that Gatland is not entirely convinced by Costelow having handed usual centre Thomas the fly-half shirt for the Wallabies Tests in July.
Gareth Anscombe has now been given the number 10 jersey after returning from injury and Costelow will have to bide his time. The 23-year-old could still have an opportunity to impress should he come on against Fiji but, at the moment, the head coach does not see him as a starter.
Jac Morgan
Seen as one of the best back-rowers in the game in 2023, following some barnstorming performances in the Six Nations and World Cup, injury has hampered his progress slightly. Morgan should be the perfect impact player, however, and will get plenty of game time in the Autumn Nations Series, but the talented flanker will be disappointed to miss out on the starting XV.
His time will come again but, at the moment, Reffell is the leading openside and Wainwright the best number eight in the country, while Plumtree adds a better balance to the loose trio at blindside.
