Steve Tandy’s first hard Wales call is coming quickly. The Wales head coach is set to trim his training group early next week after the 33-31 Barbarians win at Allianz Stadium, sharpening selection before the Nations Championship opener against Fiji in Cardiff.
Rugby365 reported that Tandy expects to reduce the squad to between 32 and 34 players, with Wales assessing post-match knocks before making final decisions. The original 48-man group has already been hit by injuries to Louie Hennessey, Keiron Assiratti and Liam Belcher.
That makes the next cut more than simple admin. Wales will regain a block of England and France-based players who were unavailable for the Barbarians fixture because it fell outside the international release window, including Dafydd Jenkins, Tomos Williams, Nicky Smith, Rhys Carre and Louis Rees-Zammit.
Wythnos y Gem | Barbarian FC v Wales
— Welsh Rugby Union (@WelshRugbyUnion) June 22, 2026
Why the cut matters
Wales already had a Barbarians platform to test combinations, and Saturday’s narrow win gave Tandy usable evidence rather than a ceremonial run-out. Dan Edwards’ performance also strengthened the wider selection debate after his decisive display in the 33-31 victory, a game framed emotionally by George North’s Barbarians farewell.
The wider context is brutal. Wales begin against Fiji, then face Argentina and world champions South Africa in a three-game block that forms part of the new Nations Championship. Tandy’s reduced squad has to carry enough experience for the Test-grade collisions while keeping room for the younger players who made the Barbarians fixture matter.
That is the edge now. The win bought momentum; the squad trim will show who Tandy trusts when the tournament starts asking sharper questions.
Source: Rugby365.
