A new era for Welsh rugby begins this November as Steve Tandy takes charge of the team for the first time.
The long-time Scotland defence coach takes over from interim coach Matt Sherratt, who will now work as an assistant coach for the team, alongside Danny Wilson, who was also part of the set-up for this summer’s tour of Japan.
Tandy’s appointment comes against the backdrop of uncertainty over the Welsh domestic structure, but his immediate challenge is to get back to winning ways after a lean time in recent years.
Victory in the second Test in Japan at least ended an 18-match losing streak, and Tandy will now be expected to build on that result.
His record as Scotland defence coach earned him a place on The British & Irish Lions coaching ticket for the 2021 Tour of South Africa, and Gregor Townsend’s team have regularly been very tricky to break down during Tandy’s time.
The former Ospreys flanker will hope to instil a similar defensive mindset in his first stint as a national team head coach.
The schedule
Tandy will not be eased in as Wales coach, kicking off on Sunday November 9 against a high-powered Argentina team that got the better of the Lions at the start of the summer and has also turned over the All Blacks and Australia this year.
A six-day turnaround follows before a third meeting of the year with Japan, the teams having split their two Tests in the summer before New Zealand come to town on November 22.
Last but not least, Wales will bring down the curtain on the autumn internationals when they take on world champions South Africa on November 29.
That game falls outside the international window, meaning that Tandy will be without some key contributors including 2025 Lion Tomos Williams.
Squad news
When Tandy announced his 39-man squad, the most striking name on the list was that of Louis Rees-Zammit, back from the NFL and set for his first international appearance since the 2023 World Cup.
Joining the 2021 Lion are five uncapped players, including former U20s standout Morgan Morse, the Ospreys back-rower.
His club colleague Jac Morgan will captain the side once again after his exploits with the Lions Down Under this summer.
Other notable inclusions are Rhys Carre, back in off the back of some impressive displays from Saracens, while Adam Beard and Dafydd Jenkins return to bolster the second row having both been absent in the summer.
Year to date
It has been a tough year for Wales, who failed to pick up a win in the Guinness Six Nations for the second year running.
In between heavy defeats away to France and at home to England, they got losing bonus points in losses in Rome and Edinburgh, while they pushed Ireland hard at home.
The defeat in Italy led to a change of coaching staff with Warren Gatland stepping down and Sherratt taking over as interim head coach, and role he continued in the summer.
And while Wales fell to a Japanese comeback in the first Test in Kitakyushu – seeing a 19-7 lead evaporate in the final quarter, they responded by winning the second 31-22 in Kobe.
What they said
Steve Tandy: "It's been really exciting going through the whole process and realising how many good players we've got.
"There's a really good mix of some young guys coming in, mixed with some experience as well. But the overall feeling is really exciting and I can't wait to get the boys into camp.
"It's a new time and there are some new faces in and around the playing group as well."
On Rees-Zammit, he added: "I think we're getting a special athlete and a special mindset to go and try something new. Most people are probably not brave enough to experience something different and that was a big jump so that tells you a lot about him as a person and his mentality.
"He says to me that he's definitely faster and bigger since he's come back, so that's good for us to hear. We've got to build a game where we can get him in the game more often. Not only him, but we've got lots of other exciting players."
