There’s plenty of headaches for the new Wales coach, but back-three isn’t one of them
Wales head coach Steve Tandy (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)
Given the state of Welsh rugby right now, it would be remiss to claim there aren’t more than a few headaches for new Wales coach Steve Tandy.
Sure, the 18-Test losing run is over and he’s got two coaches in ahead of the start of the autumn internationals in a month’s time, but by the time he gets his squad together at Wales’ Vale of Glamorgan HQ, his bosses may have announced that two clubs could soon cease to be.
As the Beach Boys almost sang, God only knows what awaits for Welsh rugby when that bombshell drops.
Whether it’s four, three, two or just one happy family playing out of a national campus in Pontypandy or somewhere, it’s just one choppy body of water that Tandy has to navigate.
The one area that Tandy should feel pretty relaxed about is the back-three, given the relative riches Welsh rugby has there right now.
When Louis Rees-Zammit left for the NFL 18 months ago, depth in that particular part of the team wasn’t overly deep.
But, with his return to the sport almost certainly likely to result in an immediate reinstatement to the Welsh starting side, the 24-year-old heads back with a bit more competition this time around. Join WalesOnline Rugby’s WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free
Josh Adams, who started on the opposite flank in Rees-Zammit’s last match for Wales against Argentina in October 2023, was back to his best in the summer after trouble with injuries.
In Kobe in particular, the Cardiff wing caused Japan all sorts of problems with his aerial ability and running lines, crossing for his first Test try in nearly two years. A confident Adams remains an asset for Wales.
On the other wing in Japan, Tom Rogers has grown at Test level in the past year. Having put the desire to play full-back behind him and focused on just enjoying his rugby, the Scarlets back has become a regular for Wales in the past season.
Rogers may well be the wing that makes way for Rees-Zammit’s return, but given how strong he is in the air, he’ll continue to be in the mix moving forward.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the back-three in the autumn is combining Rees-Zammit with breakout star Blair Murray.
The former Canterbury back has shone since joining the Scarlets last summer, going on to win 10 caps in his first season in Wales.
With his broken-field running, Murray is a throwback – having been an outside shout for a spot in Andy Farrell’s Lions squad.
With Murray and Rees-Zammit in the back-three, Tandy will have two game-breaking talents who can create something from nothing in his side.
Arguably Adams, Rees-Zammit and Murray is the strongest back-three Tandy can field, but he’s blessed with other options beyond that.
“That’s probably the strength and the biggest point of the difference at the moment,” said former Wales centre Tom Shanklin recently. “If our sides get good go-forward ball, which is quite tough at the moment, then they’re going to be really dangerous.”
There’s Rogers of course, while Scarlets team-mate Ellis Mee impressed on his Wales debut against Ireland earlier this year.
Keelan GIles, having had to wait nine years for his first Wales cap, finally made his Test debut this summer.
The Ospreys wing didn’t look out of place in his second-half cameo against Japan and has started the season strongly, crossing for two tries against the Bulls in Pretoria.
Dragons wing Rio Dyer and Gloucester flyer Josh Hathaway were both starting the final match of last autumn, while Liam Williams – now with Newcastle Red Bulls – was involved at the start of this year’s Six Nations.
Cameron Winnett has been a regular with Wales since his debut in 2024, even if Murray has overtaken the Cardiff full-back in the pecking order.
Don’t rule out his Arms Park team-mate Jacob Beetham either. The one-cap international was seen as much as a fly-half as a full-back by Warren Gatland, but there’s a Test player there if he can get more regular minutes with the Blue and Blacks.
Mason Grady has been an option on the wing, although he’ll miss the autumn through injury and his long-term position looks like outside centre.
Looking further ahead, Tom Bowen and Huw Anderson look like talents for the future and only underline Shanklin’s point about the back-three riches.
There’s plenty for Tandy to worry about right now. Thankfully, back-three isn’t one of them.