Posted by With international rugby seen as the be all and end all in the corridors of power, just as the club season is settling in and gaining momentum it’s time for a month-long pause and the Autumn Nations Series to whirr into life.
It doesn’t seem like that long ago that Cymru were playing a super important and meaningful uncapped game against the Queensland Reds to wrap up a summer visit to Australia, and yet with just six weeks’ worth of the season done, and internationals not even featuring too regularly during that because of the physical demands placed upon them, Warren Gatland has named a 35-man squad.
With some high quality players back fit after missing the summer tour, while others remain sidelined, there wasn’t too much shock or surprise at the squad. The likes of Corey Domachowski, Brodie Coghlan, Teddy Williams, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Taine Basham, Reuben Morgan-Williams and Johnny Williams may be disappointed to miss out, but there’s a case to be made for all those selected ahead of them.
It is arguably the strongest forward pack that Gatland has been able to call upon for some time, there is crucial experience and quality available at half-back, and while there is a lack of experience in the outside backs, there is definitely excitement about the talent ceiling of those players.
Yet while I am relatively positive about the squad selection, it does come against a backdrop of a shocking run of form that has seen Cymru lose our last nine test matches dating back to the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Argentina in Marseille.
Of course there has been a huge amount of playing personnel changes with long-time squad members Ken Owens, Tomas Francis, Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Dan Biggar, George North and Leigh Halfpenny among those who have either retired or temporarily made themselves unavailable for selection. Gareth Davies has added to that list ahead of this international window too.
So are Cymru desperate for a win? Well, yes, but also no. A win would be great, there’s no question about that, but what supporters and observers are desperate for more than anything is a clear idea of what this Warren Gatland team is about. What is the identity of this side in attack, what are they building towards, how are we actually going to win games and challenge for titles again?
Those are the questions that really need answering so that even if the Autumn throws up three further defeats there is at least something to cling on to heading into the Six Nations. To my mind that will be answered initially in the midfield selection for the three games.
Since Gatland returned as Head Coach in early 2023 he has selected nine different centre combinations across 21 test matches, excluding games against Barbarians and Reds. They have been made up of eight different players, while this Autumn’s selection opens up the possibility of two new names being added to that particular hat.
Now changing up selections is something generally expected at test level as injury and unavailability is mixed with varying form, but within those Cymru centre duos have been wildly different styles of individual player and partnerships not really allowing the side to play any particular type of way.
We’ve seen the more balanced approach of Nick Tompkins or Owen Watkin paired with George North, Mason Grady or Joe Roberts, we’ve had a more lightweight duo of Tompkins and Watkin going together, and then the ultra direct combination of Johnny Williams and Mason Grady lining up alongside each other, before the summer’s odd pairing of Grady and Watkin playing the wrong way round.
Ultimately it doesn’t particularly matter what avenue Gatland chooses to go down here as there are pros and cons to them all. Going with more of a playmaker like Ben Thomas, Watkin or Tompkins is better to get the ball to width but less physical, whereas opting for an Eddie James or Llewellyn offers that power option but loses out on the distribution.
Then going with Grady at 13 is a top attacking option but question marks will remain defensively as he develops his game, whereas Llewellyn or Watkin are more solid without the ball but lack that top end speed and game breaking offensive presence.
As much as it pains me not to pick Ben Thomas at 12, I think Cymru and Gatland suit the big physical presence there a touch more, with a James or Llewellyn still having decent enough hands to move the ball on and Cam Winnett capable of coming narrower as a second playmaker from full-back, with that speed and power of Grady a must-have in the 13 channel.
There just needs to be one approach that makes sense and can be built on, opted for and stuck with this Autumn and then on through the Six Nations. We can’t continue to operate in this purgatory where the type of player picked changes so drastically in desperate search of a win, negating any suggestion of long-term development of this squad.
If that happens and Cymru begin to show off some discernible identity it will be a successful Autumn no matter what the scorelines. On the flip side, if we reach December with a 12-game losing streak and still no real idea of how this team is playing under Gatland then serious questions need to be asked.
It’s not quite make or break for this coaching ticket yet, but that time is approaching as they struggle with results, playing style and communication. They’ve put themselves in this mess, no matter what excuses they might use, but the opportunity is there to stop digging and start climbing out of the hole. Be open and be clear, it’s not hard!
Cardiff Rugby Life 