Warren Gatland has gone down a bold route with his Six Nations squad this year, as he seeks fresh changes to avoid a second successive Wooden Spoon.
There’s no denying the game is in crisis in Wales, with both the men’s national team and the regions struggling for form, but 2025 could be the year to change the narrative a bit as Gatland has been challenged to bring ‘success’ back to the country. But that in itself creates a dilemma.
After the 2024 Test season, success would simply be a win, but based on Wales’ and Gatland’s past it might mean a title. The head coach’s 34-man squad does suggest he is looking to add more experience to his team, with the likes of Josh Adams and Taulupe Faletau recalled, but then he has also only opted to select one out-and-out fly-half in uncapped 21-year-old Dan Edwards, omitting the likes of Gareth Anscombe.
But how might Wales line up for their opener with France on the 31st? Well, here is our prediction for their match-day squad.
15 Liam Williams
With no Cameron Winnett this Six Nations, it looks like Liam Williams will be deployed at fullback. The Saracens man will bring so much experience to this backline, and the squad as a whole, whilst also adding that extra bit of Test match quality too.
14 Tom Rogers
Wing is actually one area Wales are pretty strong in, and Blair Murray can feel hard done by to not be in the starting XV, but Tom Rogers looked seriously impressive in his cameo in the autumn and could really nail himself down as a long-term starter this Six Nations.
13 Josh Adams
Gloucester star Max Llewellyn is a bolted-on starter at thiretee… oh. With the surprise omission of the in-form back, it might be Josh Adams who fills the hole in the midfield. Whilst he has been more of a winger throughout his Test career, the switch to midfield could actually be a masterstroke for him following some tough times with injury. It would just take that bit of extra attacking load off him and then allow him to pop up in different spaces and have an impact. It worked for George North, so why not Adams?
12 Owen Watkin
With Nick Tompkins dropping further down the Wales pecking order, it could be Owen Watkin slotting into the 12 jersey. The Ospreys man needs a big Championship though to keep his spot after a tough time in 2024.
11 Josh Hathaway
Again, wing is a pretty strong area for Wales, but Josh Hathaway’s form for Gloucester cannot be ignored and that should see him named in the starting XV. He has really improved since his first Test cap in the summer and could be a real point of difference this Championship with his mix of pace and power a handful for opposition defenders.
10 Ben Thomas
10 is a tricky position for Wales at the minute, mainly given Gatland’s decision to only pick one out-and-out number 10, but Ben Thomas could be the man in pole position to start. Normally a 12, Thomas did a decent job at fly-half against Australia on the summer tour and importantly knows the sort of attack Gatland wants to run as well. Crucially, though, this would keep Dan Edwards out of the fire a little bit too as he finds his feet at Test level.
9 Tomos Williams
Has to be Tomos Williams at nine, right? The Gloucester ace has been in ridiculous form this season and will likely be the beating heart of this Wales side in the Six Nations. His importance to this Welsh team was most highlighted by their rapid decline following his injury in the autumn. Just going to be so important for them.
8 Aaron Wainwright
The big bopper should return to the number eight jersey for the Six Nations and he will look to add some serious punch to this Wales back-row. His ball-carrying was so pivotal in 2024, and like Williams, he was sorely missed when absent from the team, so he could be set for some heavy involvements this campaign.
7 Jac Morgan
Wales’ only genuine world-class talent should start at seven. Jac Morgan is such an all-round talent, almost like Justin Tipuric in that great Welsh team of the past decade, and he just never seems to have a bad game despite his team’s results. He will need to step up even more though to fill the leadership void left by Dewi Lake’s injury, but you’d imagine this will only take him to new heights.
6 James Botham
After his great outing against the Springboks, you’d think James Botham has nailed down the number six jersey for the Six Nations. He took a while to properly arrive on the Test stage, but that performance showed he is exactly what Wales need at times like this. Botham was super physical in the tight and got stuck into some serious work on both sides of the ball too – the challenge for him now is if he can carry this on.
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5 Dafydd Jenkins
Workhorse lock Dafydd Jenkins will almost certainly come back into the Wales starting XV to face France. The Exeter man has – despite his club side falling off a cliff – been very impressive since his return from injury, and again has that sort of attitude Wales need to get some results together. He will also be a key leader in this side.
4 Will Rowlands
Experienced lock Will Rowlands will add yet more beef to Wales’ engine room. Rowlands had a decent autumn by all accounts, but his experience and leadership will need to come to the fore this Six Nations if the pack want to turn things around.
3 Keiron Assiratti
With Gatland’s chosen man Archie Griffin out of action, Keiron Assiratti will likely be the starting tighthead for the Six Nations, but he needs a big Championship. Wales’ scrum didn’t fully fire at its best during 2024, but working alongside Welsh legend Adam Jones should help them, and particularly Assiratti, out no end.
2 Elliot Dee
Big chance for Elliot Dee here, as he should come straight in for Dewi Lake at hooker. Whilst the loss of Lake is massive, Dee is solid in his own right and can bring some serious physicality to proceedings, but if he takes his game up a notch he could cement the jersey for a while.
1 Nicky Smith
Rounding off the staring XV is Leicester’s Nicky Smith, who will be hoping to bring his scrummaging form to the national side this Six Nations. Smith has taken his already impressive scrummaging up another gear at the Tigers following his move, and again, working with Jones should help turn this into a serious weapon for Wales.
Replacements
16 Sam Parry 17 Gareth Thomas 18 Henry Thomas 19 Christ Tshiunza 20 Tommy Reffell 21 Ellis Bevan 22 Dan Edwards 23 Blair Murray
Some tough calls on the bench too, but Gatland will likely opt for this combination. Sam Parry should slot in as hooker replacement, with Gareth Thomas and Henry Thomas likely to be the prop options too. Christ Tshiunza should just beat out Freddie Thomas to that number 19 shirt, with his ability to play both lock and back-row the kicker there, and Tommy Reffell should also find himself on the bench, with Gatland being fairly open about not wanting to start two number sevens.
In the backs department, Ellis Bevan should slot into the 21 shirt, Dan Edwards will likely be involved from the bench too and Blair Murray should round off the squad as the final man on the bench.
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/wales-predicted-team-ridiculous-back-to-act-as-beating-heart-while-captain-morgan-to-hit-new-heights
