Wales head coach Steve Tandy names his Nations Championship squad on Tuesday, October 20, and a weekend of European club action has given him plenty of last-minute selection headaches.
Taulupe Faletau (Credits: Huw Evans Picture Agency/BBC Sport)
Faletau Makes His Return
The headline news from Cardiff’s Champions Cup return came off the scoresheet. Taulupe Faletau made his first appearance since March, lasting just shy of an hour against Northampton, and looked every bit the 109-cap veteran. The number eight racked up 65 metres from eight first-half carries and produced a try-saving defensive moment on the line to deny opposite number Callum Chick.
His final act — a hard carry off the base of a scrum — underlined his knack for returning from injury and hitting elite standards almost immediately. Tandy selected Faletau for the 2025 autumn internationals before a knee injury struck, and with a glut of back-row options at his disposal, the coach will be hoping the veteran stays fit. Wales face Japan, New Zealand and Australia in Cardiff next month before a finals-weekend clash at Twickenham.
Adams and Morgan-Williams Press Their Cases
Cardiff also welcomed back Josh Adams from injury, with the winger getting the final quarter in the East Midlands. The 31-year-old, who had a strong 2026 Six Nations, offers Tandy a dependable and experienced option in the back three, even if George Hendy reeled him in when a try seemed certain.
Meanwhile, at scrum-half, the battle for the number 21 jersey behind nailed-on starter Tomos Williams remains wide open. With Scarlets veteran Gareth Davies’s name being floated for a return and Kieran Hardy injured against the Dragons, Ospreys’ Reuben Morgan-Williams reminded everyone of his credentials with a lively display against Black Lion in Tbilisi. The 28-year-old made two clean breaks, carried 11 times and ran for 77 metres, fizzing a pass past three defenders to set up a try.
With the squad announcement just days away, Tandy’s biggest decisions may well come down to who grabbed these final auditions.
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.