‘A HUGE HONOUR’ – JAMIE TO LEAD WALES ON TOUR
THERE is never a team or squad selection in sport that doesn’t trigger disappointment among some.
And the announcement of the 32 players to tour with Wales next month is no exception.
While there will be celebration in the households of the 13 uncapped players especially, others will be wondering what they have to do to make the cut or why they have fallen down the pecking order.
And with a Lions tour running concurrently, anyone who has failed to get the nod for a 32-man Wales party must know he is a very long way back in the minds of the selectors.
So who are the unluckiest men? James Davies Yes, the Scarlets man is in a very competitive position playing as he does at openside flanker, but all the same he must be wondering just what he has to do to gain Wales recognition.
Actually, he’d be well advised not to keep thinking about it. Davies can do no more than he’s done in the last two seasons during which he has been consistently excellent for the Scarlets.
Robin McBryde suggested a shoulder injury sustained by Davies at the wrong time had done for his prospects, but that explanation doesn’t really wash.
It’s McBryde’s prerogative not to take Davies if he feels he doesn’t warrant selection, but for the man they call Cubby Boy to have still not had a chance at the highest level is very difficult to fathom. You feel the least he deserves is one chance to prove the doubters wrong. Rhys Patchell The former Blues man who is now fly-half at the Scarlets seems to be the archetypal fringe player when it comes to the Wales set-up.
Patchell has four caps despite making his Test debut in Japan four years ago. Yet while he hasn’t forced himself into the inner Wales circle he will have fancied his chances of making this trip.
Patchell turns 24 next week however, and should be reaching his prime. You wonder if he will ever add to his cap tally now. Lloyd Williams When you consider that the Blues scrum-half was second choice at the 2015 World Cup his fall since has been fairly dramatic.
He was left out of the Six Nations squad this season with the Scarlets Aled Davies joining Rhys Webb and Gareth Davies in the group, and now he’s missed out again.
Williams is likely to be galled somewhat that while the two Davies’ – Gareth and Aled – are in this latest squad, he has also been usurped by his Arms Park team mate and namesake Tomas Williams. That’s no disrespect to young Tomas, but Lloyd has just slipped further back in the pecking order. Dan Evans Like James Davies, the non-selection of Ospreys full-back Dan Evans doesn’t really go down as a major surprise because we’re so used to him being ignored.
But that’s not to say he doesn’t remain unlucky because his Regional form has been very good again this season.
The bottom line is that the Wales management made a judgement on Evans a while ago, and that judgement was that he wouldn’t be part of their long term plans.
As such he’s overtaken in the race for back three prominence most notably by the Blues’ Rhun Williams. Aaron Shingler The Scarlets back row man capped a fine all-round display in the derby win against the Ospreys last weekend by racing over for a late try. Perhaps McBryde and his selection team had left the ground early.
Whatever, Shingler’s banishment to international no-man’s land remains in force – he hasn’t featured since being dropped after the first Test in South Africa three years ago.
Once again Wales have gone with the versatile and unsung James King while Blues rookie Seb Davies is also a back five player.
Like his Regional team mate Rhys Patchell, there doesn’t look any way back for Shingler Wales-wise now. Richard Hibbard By selecting Scarlets rookie Ryan Elias alongside more experienced pair Kristian Dacey and Scott Baldwin, McBryde has effectively ended the Wales career of Richard Hibbard at the end of a season which saw him voted player of the year by Gloucester supporters.
Again, there will be those arguing that Wales must look to the future and choose younger players, but to discard a player of Hibbard’s ability prematurely appears unecessary and a little self-defeating. He’s clearly blotted his copybook in the eyes of the management. Luke Charteris Like Hibbard, Charteris isn’t exactly a member of the spring chicken society but still, he was in the Six Nations squad and so what does his exclusion this time around say about his Wales future?
You’d have to assume that his international days are numbered..