Wales Men’s Squad Features Scarlets Contingent
The Wales Men’s team is set to play the Barbarians at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, with a 14:00 kick-off. The squad includes a significant presence from Scarlets, who will form the entire three-quarter line for the match. Blair Murray is named at full-back, with Tom Rogers and Ellis Mee on the wings. The midfield will feature Joe Hawkins and Eddie James. Flanker Taine Plumtree is also included in the starting XV.
On the bench, hooker Ryan Elias and Sam Costelow, who has recovered from injury, are part of an eight-strong Scarlets group in the 23-player matchday squad. The coaching staff has also included four uncapped players among the replacements: Rhys Barratt from Cardiff, Ben Warren from Ospreys, Ryan Woodman, and Harrison Keddie from the Dragons.
Coach Steve Tandy expressed his satisfaction with the training block leading up to the game and his excitement for the summer schedule. He highlighted the opportunity for the uncapped players to make their senior debut for Wales. Tandy also noted that the Barbarians will provide a strong challenge with their skilled players, anticipating a high-paced game with many offloads, which he believes will be excellent preparation for the upcoming Nations Championship.
Barbarians Challenge and Nations Championship Preparations
The match against the Barbarians marks the beginning of a busy summer for Wales, who are scheduled to play Fiji, Argentina, and South Africa as part of the new Nations Championship campaign. The team aims to build on their performance in the Six Nations, where they secured a victory against Italy.
Kieran Hardy, who will be playing against Faf de Klerk, believes the South African scrum-half has something to prove. De Klerk, who recently missed out on South Africa’s squad for the Nations Championship, is described by Hardy as an energetic and experienced player. Hardy noted that many Barbarians players, like De Klerk, have missed out on national team selections and will be motivated to perform.
This fixture falls outside World Rugby’s designated Test window, meaning players based in England and France, such as Tomos Williams, are unavailable for Wales. The Barbarians match is a precursor to the inaugural Nations Championship, which is set to begin next month and conclude in November. Wales’ first Nations Championship game is against Fiji at Cardiff City Stadium on July 4.
Wales Women Also Face Barbarians
In addition to the men’s match, Sean Lynn’s Wales Women’s team will also take on the Barbarians in a double-header event in West London, with their game scheduled for 17:00. The Wales Women’s team will be captained by Alex Callender, who is returning from injury. The squad includes former Scarlets players such as centre Jenna de Vera, prop Maisie Davies, and flanker Alisha Joyce.
Eleven players in the women’s starting line-up are aged 22 or under, and 14 of them have participated in Celtic Challenge rugby for either Brython Thunder or Gwalia Lightning. The match is part of a day of rugby at Allianz Stadium.
The Wales Men’s team will then travel to Argentina and South Africa on successive weekends after their match against Fiji.
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Source: scarlets.wales
As News-UK's Sports News Writer, Oscar Pennington reports on rugby union, golf and boxing for readers across the country. He built a reputation for sharp explainer pieces on regional sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Oscar lives in Nottingham, where he follows the pro golf tour and amateur boxing. “Context is what turns a result into a story.”
