Wales make six changes for Fiji match, Louis Rees-Zammit returns to wing
Team Selection and Player Movements
Wales head coach Steve Tandy has announced his team to face Fiji on Saturday, making six changes to the side that played against the Barbarians. A notable change sees Louis Rees-Zammit return to his preferred position on the wing for the upcoming Nations Championship fixture. This move follows a period where Rees-Zammit had been utilised at full-back for both club and country.
Rees-Zammit’s return to the wing comes after a season that saw him transition back to rugby from the NFL. He had previously started on the wing for Wales in the autumn, scoring against Japan and New Zealand. However, both his club, Bristol Bears, and the national team moved him to full-back midway through the campaign. While he scored three tries in his first two starts at full-back for the Bears, he then went through 10 matches in that position for both Bristol and Wales without scoring. It was only after Bears director of rugby Pat Lam moved him back to the wing that Rees-Zammit scored again late in the season.
The upcoming match against Fiji presents an opportunity for Rees-Zammit, who has a history of scoring against them. Of the 13 international teams he has faced, Fiji is the only one against whom he has scored on every occasion, touching down in their last two meetings in 2021 and 2023. Both of these scores occurred while he was playing on the wing. Despite a minor issue that kept him out of training on Tuesday, Rees-Zammit is fit to play this weekend, bringing his tally of 16 tries from 40 caps to the fixture.
In other backline changes, Blair Murray retains his spot at full-back from the Barbarians match. Cardiff’s Josh Adams is brought back into the side, having been on waterboy duties last Saturday. The only other alteration in the backline involves Saracens-bound Tomos Williams, who comes in at scrum-half.
The forward pack sees three changes. Rhys Carre replaces Gareth Thomas at loosehead. Adam Beard will start alongside Ben Carter, having recently been involved in the Top 14 final with Montpellier. Alex Mann continues in the back-row, making him, alongside captain Dewi Lake, the only players to start every Test match under Coach Tandy. Saturday’s game will mark Mann’s 10th cap under the new Wales coach.
On the bench, Taine Plumtree will provide second-row cover, while Ospreys tighthead Ben Warren is set to potentially make his Test debut. The full Wales squad for the match includes: Blair Murray; Louis Rees-Zammit, Eddie James, Joe Hawkins, Josh Adams; Dan Edwards, Tomos Williams; Rhys Carre, Dewi Lake (c), Dillon Lewis, Ben Carter, Adam Beard, Alex Mann, Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright. Replacements are: Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Ben Warren, Taine Plumtree, James Botham, Kieran Hardy, Sam Costelow, Ellis Mee.
Squad Challenges and Injury Updates
The team selection follows a week of uncertainty for Wales, marked by a dispute between players and the WRU over match fees. This issue was resolved late on Wednesday afternoon, allowing Steve Tandy to focus on the opening fixture at the Cardiff City Stadium. This match is considered a significant opportunity for Wales to secure a win this summer, especially with subsequent trips to Argentina and South Africa scheduled for later in the month.
However, Wales will be without captain Dafydd Jenkins for the entire Nations Championship campaign due to a shoulder injury. Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter confirmed that Jenkins sustained the injury during the Gallagher PREM Final against Northampton Saints and will undergo surgery. Jenkins, who was a constant presence for Steve Tandy during the Six Nations campaign, is expected to be fit for the start of the new Gallagher PREM season. This is not Jenkins’ first experience with shoulder issues, as he also missed the start of the 2024-2025 campaign after undergoing double surgery for a knee and a shoulder rotator cuff injury sustained on international duty.
The 33-man squad for the Nations Championship includes two uncapped players: Exeter Chiefs back rower Kane James and Ospreys tight-head prop Ben Warren. Coach Tandy commented on the squad, stating that it was selected to mirror what will be required for the World Cup in 2027, aiming to build competition among the players. He acknowledged that some tough decisions were made during the selection process.
The Wales Nations Championship fixtures include the match against Fiji on Saturday, 4 July, 2026, at the Cardiff City Stadium. This will be followed by an away fixture against Argentina on Saturday, 11 July, 2026, at the Estadio San Juan de Bicentenario. The final match of the campaign will see Wales travel to face South Africa on Saturday, 18 July, 2026, at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban.
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Source: walesonline.co.uk