The Wales squad’s preparations for the upcoming Nations Championship have been impacted by an off-field dispute with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) concerning match fees. This issue was resolved just three days before their opening fixture against Fiji. The team is scheduled to play July Tests against Fiji, Argentina, and South Africa.
Talks between the WRU and the Welsh Rugby Players’ Association (WRPA) regarding employment terms were concluded late on Wednesday afternoon. A joint statement from both organisations confirmed that negotiations had been finalised to the satisfaction of all parties involved. This agreement ensures that the game against Fiji will proceed as planned.
Squad Preparations and Team Selection
Despite the off-field discussions, the Wales coaching staff and squad members were present at the Vale Resort. The joint statement from the WRU and WRPA indicated that training preparations for the match against Fiji at Cardiff City Stadium were not affected. The team is looking forward to a positive result on Saturday and a successful campaign in the Nations Championship.
Wales head coach Steve Tandy has selected his 23-man squad for the encounter. The team sees the return of several key English-based players, including Tomos Williams and Louis Rees-Zammit, who were unavailable for the uncapped fixture against the Barbarians. These players are now back in contention for the Nations Championship opener.
Louis Rees-Zammit will return to his preferred wing position for the match. He had previously played all five Six Nations games at full-back this year, following an 18-month period in the NFL. He ended the domestic season on the wing after informing his club coach that it was his preferred role. He is joined in the back-three by Blair Murray at full-back and the experienced Josh Adams.
The midfield partnership of Eddie James and Joe Hawkins will continue, becoming a regular choice for Wales at centre. Dan Edwards will partner Tomos Williams in the halves. In the back-row, Jac Morgan will make his first capped appearance for Wales since the Autumn Nations Series, alongside Aaron Wainwright and Alex Mann. The lock pairing consists of Adam Beard and Ben Carter, with Dafydd Jenkins missing the summer tour due to injury.
Dillon Lewis is set to earn his first Test cap since 2024 at tighthead, joining captain Dewi Lake and Rhys Carre in the front-row. The bench features a traditional 5:3 split, with forward options including Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, uncapped Ben Warren, Taine Plumtree, and James Botham. The backs replacements are Kieran Hardy, Sam Costelow, and Ellis Mee.
Ben Warren, an Ospreys prop, will make his debut from the bench. Coach Tandy commented on Warren‘s inclusion, noting his quick learning ability and development in scrums over the past month. He expressed excitement for Warren to get his debut opportunity in Cardiff.
Looking Ahead
The head coach expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming games, stating that the team aims to build on their performance in the Six Nations and the recent fixture. He highlighted the momentum created and the team’s readiness to perform on Saturday. Tandy also acknowledged the importance of playing in Wales and the support from their fans.
The match against Fiji is scheduled for Saturday, 4 July, 2026, at Cardiff City Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Kick-off is set for 14:10 local time. The referee for the match will be Eoghan Cross from the IRFU.
The Wales squad had previously avoided strike action on the eve of a home fixture against England in the 2023 Six Nations. Tandy‘s tenure has also faced uncertainty due to the WRU‘s proposal to reduce the number of men’s professional sides from four to three, a plan intended for implementation by 2028. The team’s opening fixture is followed by away Tests against Argentina in San Juan and South Africa in Durban.
The Wales team for the Fiji match includes: Blair Murray (15), Louis Rees-Zammit (14), Eddie James (13), Joe Hawkins (12), Josh Adams (11), Dan Edwards (10), Tomos Williams (9), Aaron Wainwright (8), Jac Morgan (7), Alex Mann (6), Adam Beard (5), Ben Carter (4), Dillon Lewis (3), Dewi Lake (c) (2), and Rhys Carre (1). The replacements are Ryan Elias (16), Nicky Smith (17), Ben Warren (18), Taine Plumtree (19), James Botham (20), Kieran Hardy (21), Sam Costelow (22), and Ellis Mee (23).
The Wales squad will undertake their captain’s run, the final preparations, at Cardiff City Stadium on Friday before the game.
Source: planetrugby.com
