Posted by It’s been over three-and-a-half years now since I started writing about the need for the Wales squad to evolve away from the playing group that has taken us through the last decade and into a new era.
I first got stuck into it in-depth in November 2020 as Wales’ Autumn Nations Series campaign gradually ground to a halt amid an ageing squad struggling to adapt to post-Warren Gatland life. I remain convinced that Wayne Pivac’s failure to undergo an evolution in his wider squad selections was the main reason for his downfall.
In the end we’ve spent almost an entire Rugby World Cup cycle stuck in squad evolution purgatory, sometimes teetering towards blooding a large amount of youngsters and building up them up towards France 2023, and at other times lurching in completely the opposite direction and strapping the old guard together in the hope they cling on for one more tournament.
And now we’ve reached the summer before the tournament, and hands have been forced. Ken Owens is ruled out with injury, Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric have retired, Wyn Jones and Jon Davies have failed to make the cut. The old guard is disappearing before our eyes, but there’s been no preparing and no succession plan is in place.
Owens’ replacement is Dewi Lake – 8 caps. Dafydd Jenkins comes in for AWJ – 8 caps. Jac Morgan or Tommy Reffell will start at openside – 15 caps and 9 caps, respectively. One of Corey Domachowski or Kemsley Mathias will almost certainly make the final squad with Jones missing – uncapped. Mason Grady is likely to be the only out-and-out 13 included with Davies not selected – 2 caps.
We are where we are though, and for my money this presents opportunity as I attempt to get over my exasperation with the last few years of squad selection and look forwards. Not just forwards to this year’s Rugby World Cup, but forwards to the 2027 edition.
Wales now have the chance to take what is almost a free hit at this tournament. They are written off everywhere, nobody expects anything. Making it to the quarter-finals would be seen as a success, and potentially facing England with the pressure all on the old enemy could even spark an upset of 2015 proportion.
So let’s embrace that next generation of players. Yes, there are still some of the old guard around and having some of that experience will be key spread throughout the position groups, but there’s no need to go overboard on that.
Taking both of Tomas Francis and Henry Thomas at tighthead when they’ll be 35 in 2027 is overkill, let’s give Keiron Assiratti the experience. Taking Dan Lydiate alongside Taulupe Faletau in the back row is not needed when Aaron Wainwright and Christ Tshiunza can play on the blindside.
Ensure that Sam Costelow is part of the fly-half group as all of Dan Biggar, Gareth Anscombe and Owen Williams will be 35 or over in 2027, and there’s no need for more than two of George North, Alex Cuthbert, Liam Williams and Leigh Halfpenny to head to France with the talent and experience of the younger members of the outside backs pool.
Then when it comes to the captaincy, let’s follow the example of Sam Warburton taking it over in 2011 and select a young player who the next generation can be built around while there are still some older heads around to help guide him.
Ryan Elias, Adam Beard, Tomos Williams and Josh Adams are names that have either been bandied about as possible leaders or players who have previously captained their club sides, but I’d favour an even more radical approach of going with an even younger member of the squad who could potentially lead for the next two Rugby World Cup cycles.
Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan have both displayed in their careers so far that they have the potential to be generational talents. They are players who will be in and around the matchday 23 for many years to come and already lead by example whenever they pull the red jersey on. With the likes of Taulupe Faletau and Dan Biggar still around they are the ideal mentors.
In the end, from where I’m sat anyway, a run to the quarter-final with a younger group is a much better result than a run to the semi-final with an older group. When looking at the bigger picture, at least, and that’s something which we need to develop in Welsh Rugby over the next five years.
Cardiff Rugby Life 