The Wales has lost seven consecutive games, in Australia where he goes on tour he hasn’t won since 1969, he’s dealing with a barrage of injuries in addition to the well-known dropouts and at the end of the Summer Series he seriously risks leaving the league for the first time Top 10 in the world rankingwhere he is currently in tenth place with 77.26 points threatened by Fiji.
For the benefit of Italy
It is the dramatic situation of the national team Warren Gatland in the aftermath of the heavy 52-16 defeat against South Africa and the announcement of the 34 players who will leave on tour. Planned stops: 6 July Australia Wales in Sydney; 13 July Australia-Wales in Melbourne; July 19 Queensland Reds-Wales in Brisbane. A national team, that of Wallabies, also struggling with a crisis, first elimination in the group stage at the World Cup and a difficult technical change, arrival as Joe Schmidt’s coach. Australia is ninth in the ranking, almost 2 points below Italy (77.48 to 79.41). However the clash ends in the two test matches between ancient powers in crisis, the blue colors will benefit from it. In fact, Quesada’s Italrugby, thanks to a Summers Series with three potential victories (Samoa, Tonga, Japan), can further detach their rivals in the rankings and attack Argentina’s 7th place (80.68).
Welsh defections and news
The main problems the Wales he has to face them on the front line, he has lost Henry Thomas (foot problems), Keiron Assiratti (injured with South Africa) and Elliot Dee, Nicky Smith. Here he can count on the experience of Dillon Lewis, but fellow props Archie Griffin and Harri O’Connor only have three caps. The same goes among the hookers, where alongside captain Dewi Lake there are Evan Lloyd (3 caps) and Efan Daniel (debutant). Other key players absent are Jac Morgan, Taulupe Faletau, Tomos Williams, Adam Beard, Will Rowlands, Josh Adams and Gareth Anscombe.
Among the 34 players called up there are debutants. The most interesting is the center Regan Grace, 27 years old, a rugby star at XIII, who moved to the XV in 2022 with Racing 92 (France) and Bath (England), but so far unavailable due to a serious injury. The other two only wing Josh Hataway and hooker Efan Daniel. The largest group of players called up comes from Cardiff, with only three from the Ospreys, the only team that qualified for the Urc play-offs.
Wales squad for the 2024 summer tour:
After you
Corey Domachowski (Cardiff), Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Dewi Lake (Ospreys), Evan Lloyd (Cardiff), Efan Daniel (Cardiff), Archie Griffin (Bath), Dillon Lewis (Harlequins) Harri O’ Connor (Scarlets), Ben Carter (Dragons), Cory Hill (Secom Rugguts), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), Matthew Screech (Dragons), Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs), James Botham (Cardiff), Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff), Taine Plumtree (Scarlets), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons).
Three-quarters
Ellis Bevan (Cardiff), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Kieran Hardy (Scarlets), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Mason Grady (Cardiff), Eddie James (Scarlets), Ben Thomas (Cardiff), Nick Tompkins (Saracens), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Rio Dyer (Dragons), Regan Grace (Bath), Josh Hathaway (Gloucester), Liam Williams (Kubota Spears), Jacob Beetham (Cardiff), Cameron Winnett (Cardiff).
