New faces enter Wales Six Nations equation as coaches start selection process

The hope that 2026 will be a better year for Welsh rugby than 2025 is one we all hope to be well-founded but actually fear is just misplaced.

Hope for the best, expect the worst. It’s bound to be a tricky year to navigate for a number of reasons – on and off the pitch.

Off the pitch, the route to three clubs is still shrouded in mystery. But on it, the Six Nations on the horizon brings the fear of a third consecutive wooden spoon.

It’s a terrifying thought, but an all too feasible one. Wales are almost certainly favourites, for lack of a better term, to pick up the unwanted piece of cutlery once more.

Steve Tandy has a task on his hand to turn around results and performances so soon into his new job, with the autumn having been a reminder of the task at hand. He now starts the selection process in the wake of the festive matches ahead of naming his squad in just a couple of weeks or so.

Wales are in an awfully difficult position. Conventional wisdom suggests that a lot of this current squad aren’t what you would call Test quality.

But is that the case? Or are just some lacking in experience at the highest level? Certainly, getting cap numbers up is a priority for Tandy.

But the other side of that coin when it comes to the squad not being good enough is whether it’s the best Wales can currently offer.

In all honesty, it probably is. But are there other players that could perhaps come in to strengthen the squad?

Looking over the games in Newport and Bridgend on New Year’s Day, Tandy and his coaching team would have seen some solid performances that might make them think twice ahead of naming their Six Nations squad in a matter of weeks.

Starting at Rodney Parade, where the Dragons ran out comfortable bonus point winners over the hapless Scarlets, one concern would have been how toothless the west Walians were.

Featuring a backline filled with internationals, the complete lack of attacking edge doesn’t bode well.

On the other side, though, a number of Dragons put their cases forward well. Hooker has been a position that has seen a lot of call-ups recently.

Evan Lloyd, Efan Daniel, Liam Belcher and Brodie Coghlan have all been brought into the national squad to compliment the likes of Dewi Lake, Elliot Dee and Ryan Elias.

You could argue another new face isn’t exactly needed, but Oli Burrows was to the fore on Thursday. The 23-year-old made the most tackles in a physical defensive performance, while he carried on the trend of scoring in matches the Dragons went on not to lose this season.

Another impressive performer was Harry Beddall, with the Wales U20s captain making some key interventions at the breakdown against the Scarlets.

The Men of Gwent have the luxury of being able to swap between Beddall and Thomas Young on the openside at the minute, with the former seemingly making the most of his experienced mentor.

Last year’s U20s Six Nations showed he’s a relentless tackler, having been the only player in the tournament to make over 100. That has carried through to his appearances in recent weeks.

Just like hooker, Wales aren’t short of options at openside. Even with Jac Morgan likely to miss out on the Six Nations, there’s more than enough talent to fill in.

The Six Nations might be too soon for Beddall, but he’ll be one to keep an eye on for the Wales coaches.

In the other New Year’s Day derby, the Ospreys were dominant in the win over Cardiff at the Brewery Field. It was built upon the efforts of the forward pack, with Rhys Davies particularly superb in the second-row alongside Ryan Smith.

While Davies isn’t exactly a new face, he’s surely deserving of more Test exposure than he managed in the autumn.

The same goes for Keelan Giles.

2025 saw the wing finally capped after years of injury frustration. However, he wasn’t involved in the autumn through another knock.

But there’s a player who offers something different in Giles. The way he took his try, cutting through the defence before gliding past two defenders, was typical of the wing.

He also made the most dominant tackles, with three big hits summing up his kick-chasing efforts.

Garyn Phillips was another strong performer – winning two turnovers and causing Wales tighthead Keiron Assiratti problems at the scrum.

Phillips has been part of Wales’ last two squads, but has yet to win a cap. That could soon change if he continues to perform like he did in Bridgend.

Once the coaches warm up from the back-to-back trips from Newport and Bridgend, they might end up looking at some footage from games elsewhere.

Louis Rees-Zammit, understandably, makes Bristol an important watching brief, but there could be some other players at the Bears who might interest them.

Someone close to the club said recently that Wales could do worse than looking at centre James Williams. The 28-year-old, who can also play fly-half, is the glue of the Gallagher Prem club’s backline, while he can also goal-kick.

James Williams of Bristol Bears qualifies for Wales

James Williams of Bristol Bears qualifies for Wales -Credit:Getty Images

Last year, director of rugby Pat Lam, while speaking to WalesOnline, compared his influence on Bristol to that of Roy Keane at Manchester United.

If Wales’ coaches are catching up on Bristol matches around Christmas, then the sight of Aidan Boshoff making his Prem debut against Harlequins in December would have been a pleasing sight too.

The Wales U20s wing has a fearless attitude to the game, carrying his weight and being particularly strong in the air. That shone through in last year’s U20s Six Nations and his recent Prem debut went as you’d expect – with the 20-year-old more than holding his own.

Again, like Beddall, the Six Nations is probably too soon. But a breakthrough to professional rugby for another impressive age-grade talent can only be a good thing.

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New faces enter Wales Six Nations equation as coaches start selection process

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