Six Nations squad announced as Welsh rugby plunged into more uncertainty

Wales boss Steve Tandy named his first Six Nations squad as Welsh rugby was plunged into further uncertainty.

Tandy’s 38-man squad was announced as the domestic game was left reeling again less than three weeks before their Championship opener against England at Allianz Stadium.

The Welsh Rugby Union has proposed cutting one of its four men’s professional sides – Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys or Scarlets – much to the consternation of fans throughout the country.

The WRU board met on Monday and considered the recommendation from the executive leadership team on the sale of Cardiff Rugby.

Two consortiums have submitted final bids and the WRU said it “hopes to finalise the detailed negotiations with the preferred bidder and sign a binding agreement within a matter of weeks”.

It is understood Ospreys owners Y11 Sport & Media are the preferred bidder, allowing the two sides to effectively become one team.

There were 14 players named from Blues and Ospreys – seven from each team – with skipper Jac Morgan absent after dislocating his shoulder in the autumn series opener against Argentina at the start of November.

Veteran number eight Taulupe Faletau has also missed out through a calf injury, with Callum Sheedy, Nick Tompkins, Rio Dyer and Tommy Reffell among the notable absentees.

Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake has been named captain for the campaign and Provence prop Tomas Francis features for the first time since the 2023 World Cup.

Uncapped Leicester wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb and Bath centre Louie Hennessey are included, while Eddie James, James Botham, Josh Macleod, Mason Grady, Ryan Elias, Sam Costelow and Owen Watkin are recalled.

Changes

Tandy said: “There are a few changes to the squad from the autumn, some due to injury but others are a sign of the competition there is and how many players we have in the mix which is a real positive.

“I think we have a good blend again within the squad moving into this campaign and can’t wait for us to assemble next week.”

Wales internationals Dan Lydiate, Duncan Jones and Rhys Patchell return to the backroom team on an interim basis, having been recruited for an Autumn series that produced one win – against Japan – from four games.

The promise of an encouraging attacking display against New Zealand was destroyed by an embarrassing 73-0 defeat to South Africa the following week, albeit Wales were without their England and France-based players for a match played outside the official Test window.

Wales have finished bottom of the Six Nations for the past two years, failing to registering a single victory.

Full Wales squad: Backs – J Adams (Cardiff), S Costelow (Scarlets), D Edwards (Ospreys), J Evans (Harlequins), M Grady (Cardiff), K Hardy (Ospreys), G Hamer-Webb (Leicester), J Hawkins (Scarlets), L Hennessey (Bath), E James (Scarlets) E Mee (Scarlets), R Morgan-Williams (Ospreys), B Murray (Scarlets), L Rees-Zammit (Bristol), T Rogers (Scarlets), B Thomas (Cardiff), O Watkin (Ospreys), T Williams (Gloucester).

Forwards – K Assiratti (Cardiff), A Beard (Montpellier), L Belcher (Cardiff), J Botham (Cardiff), R Carre (Saracens), B Carter (Dragons), O Cracknell (Leicester), H Deaves (Ospreys), R Elias (Scarlets), T Francis (Provence), A Griffin (Bath), D Jenkins (Exeter), D Lake (Ospreys, capt), A Mann (Cardiff), J Macleod (Scarlets), T Plumtree (Scarlets), N Smith (Leicester), G Thomas (Ospreys), F Thomas (Gloucester), A Wainwright (Dragons).