The questions Tandy faces for his first Wales squad

Steve Tandy, coach of New Wales, will announce his first team for the autumn internationals on Tuesday.

Before Tandy makes his selections for the four November games against Argentina, Japan, New Zealand, and South Arica, the announcement will be made at 13:00 BST.

Matt Sherratt, Danny Wilson, Dan Lydiate, Duncan Jones, and Rhys Patchell have been named as assistants under the former Ospreys boss’ new coaching structure.

Tandy’s first campaign will be a baptism of fire for the national men’s side, which is ranked 12th in the world and that only defeated Japan in Kobe in a 12-match international losing streak in his first game.

Wales selected six uncapped players for the Japan tour, including Reuben Morgan-Williams and Chris Coleman, the captain of Cardiff, Liam Belcher, and Ospreys duo Keelan Giles and Reuben Morgan-Williams.

Garyn Phillips, a Scarlets back, and Macs Page, an Ospreys prop, are still awaiting their first Test appearances.

Tom Bowen, a teenager from Cardiff, has scored five tries in four games, including a hat-trick against Munster this season, making his debut in the Welsh domestic competition.

Morgan Morse, a backrower for the Ospreys, did not make the senior squad or the Under-20s in the summer, but he has done so consistently this year.

Making wing Louis Rees-Zammit a part of the attraction, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) are attempting to overcome the slow ticket sales.

When he made the announcement to switch sports for American football and try to join the NFL on the eve of the 2024 Six Nations, the Wales, British, and Irish Lions wing shocked rugby.

Rees-Zammit did not participate in any competitive NFL games despite having deals with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Kansas City Chiefs.

The 24-year-old is back in rugby having signed a season-long deal with Bristol Bears after realizing his American dream was never going to materialize after 18 months of testing.

Rees-Zammit made a Gallagher Prem try-scoring return, but earlier this month he injured his foot against Saracens.

A number of capped players who didn’t make the summer tour will be hoping to make it back.

After returning from France with Brive, Ross Moriarty might be a strong candidate for inclusion. The blind-side flanker, or number eight, lost favor with Gatland after winning his final 54 caps in March 2022.

After recovering from injury issues, his Ospreys team-mate Rhys Davies has successfully started the season.

Will Rowlands has featured for Racing 92 while Adam Beard has been doing well with his new club in France, Montpellier.

Callum Sheedy, the fly-half for Cardiff, has recorded an impressive season with a number of assists, and team-mate Jacob Beetham has shown his versatility by starting the season at full-back, center, and wing.

Both center Nick Tompkins and Gloucester midfielder Max Llewellyn have made notable contributions to the club.

Due to injuries, James Botham and Mason Grady, two other Cardiff players, are also sidelined.

Josh Macleod, the Scarlets’ captain, and Christ Tshiunza, the team’s flanker, will both likely miss the November games due to injuries, while Eddie James and Ryan Elias, the team’s hooker, are expected to miss the majority of the action for the month of November.

Tandy also has a number of niggling injury concerns, in addition to Jac Morgan and Rees-Zammit’s concerns regarding their fitness.

Elliot Dee, a dragons hooker, hasn’t featured this season, while Giles and Keiran Williams, who have both had promising seasons, have both made late withdrawals, prior to the 42-17 defeat at Glasgow in Bridgend.

Kieran Hardy, the scrum half for the Ospreys, already received a rib injury that had already prevented him from playing against Zebre.

Rhys Carre, who has 20 caps, is fit and has a strong start to the season with Saracens, but is currently ineligible under the WRU selection rules because he has only 20 caps, five short of what is needed for those who play for clubs outside of Wales.

Therefore, Wales would need to change his rule or close the loop to allow his return.

The main captaincy contenders are Exeter skipper Dafydd Jenkins, who has led his country in recent years, and Ospreys duo Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake once more.

Flanker Morgan led Wales at the Six Nations, where they finished third once more, but he was unable to lead the team in Japan while he was away supporting the Australian and British Lions in their series victory.

Hooker Lake, who had previously led the side in Australia in 2024, led Wales in their 1-1 summer series draw in their absence.

*All games take place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.

Sunday, 9 November – Argentina (15: 10 GMT)

Saturday, 15 November – Japan (17: 40 GMT)

Saturday, 22 November – New Zealand (15: 10 GMT)