Wales wing Mee set for Six Nations recall in Ireland

Wing Ellis Mee is in line to return to the Wales starting line-up for Friday night’s Six Nations game against Ireland in Dublin.

The 22-year-old Scarlets back is poised to replace Gabriel Hamer-Webb at Aviva Stadium (20:10 GMT).

Wales head coach Steve Tandy will be forced into two other changes due to injury after fly-half Sam Costelow and blind-side flanker Taine Plumtree were injured in the 26-23 defeat by Scotland.

Ospreys playmaker Dan Edwards is also in line for a return, while Cardiff flanker James Botham will make his first Test start since round two of last year’s tournament in Italy.

Tandy, who names his side on Wednesday morning, will ask his players to back up their encouraging performance against the Scots as they bid to cause an upset and end a 14-game losing run in the Six Nations.

Mee started against England and France in the first two rounds but missed out against the Scots, when Hamer-Webb made his Test debut.

The Leicester wing showed flashes but was also centre stage for the try by Darcy Graham that was created by Finn Russell’s sharp thinking from a quick restart.

The Scotland and Lions fly-half exploited the space left by former Cardiff back Hamer-Webb after he had chased Jarrod Evans’ successful penalty kick.

Blair Murray came on for Hamer-Webb when he suffered an early nose injury and then was a permanent replacement for the final quarter but it is Mee, who is strong in the aerial game, who is poised to get the nod for Dublin.

Botham came on in the first half of the game against Scotland and was a strong performer, although he was also caught out by Russell’s restart.

The combative flanker will join forces with Cardiff team-mate Alex Mann, with number eight Wainwright an injury concern.

Edwards, who had started seven matches before being dropped against Scotland, will pull the strings after Costelow’s bright display was ended by an ankle injury.

Harlequins’ Evans has been used off the bench five times by Tandy and has not started a Test match since 2021.

Wales have not beaten Ireland away in the Six Nations since 2012 or achieved a victory in Dublin since 2015.