Will Pumas be on the prowl in Wales this summer?

WALES will not be travelling to Argentina this summer, but are lining up home Tests against the Pumas, with Japan, the USA and Canada other potential opponents.

However, there are unlikely to be significant, if any, crowds allowed to attend those July games at the Principality Stadium.

Wayne Pivac’s Six Nations champions were due to head to south America for matches against both Argentina and Uruguay.

But that looks certain to be knocked on the head due to Covid complications.

So alternative plans are now being drawn up.

Outlining the current situation, WRU chief executive Steve Phillips said: “I cannot see us travelling to Argentina.

“It’s a red country, with a hard quarantine of ten days when you come back, where you live in a Heathrow hotel for 10 days.

“I don’t think that’s acceptable to our players. It would be pretty tough going at the back end of a long season.

“You butt into player welfare, player rest and the start of next season.

“So we will be talking to Argentina and asking if they want to come to Wales. We would be happy to contribute towards their costs.

“England were due to travel to the USA and Canada, but both of those are now coming to play at Twickenham.”

Phillips continued: “We desperately want to play two or three Test matches this July.

“Wayne is very keen to have Test rugby again.

“We are hoping to get some significant Lions call-ups, so it will be a great opportunity to give other players a chance.

“Given the USA and Canada are around in the UK, there could be conversations with them and possibly Japan because they are up in Murrayfield with the Lions.

“If Argentina come, we could play them twice and maybe the USA, Canada or Japan as well.”

As for the chances of any fans being able to watch those games at the stadium, Phillips said: “I don’t have any real expectation of getting any crowds, certainly not significant crowds, for July, based on conversations with Welsh government.

“The next opportunity for us will be the autumn.

“Our ambition is to have full houses then, but we also recognise it will be government regulations that tell us what we can and cannot do.

“Would I want crowds? Yes. But then I wouldn’t want at the risk of another outbreak.

“So we are going to have to be flexible, with all tickets refundable.”

■ WALES international Owen Williams has signed for Worcester Warriors, ending any chance of representing his country again in the near future.

The playmaker, capped three times for Wales, has been plying his trade in Japan for Red Hurricanes after leaving Gloucester last year.

He had been linked with moves back to Wales, which would have opened up the possibility of adding to his collection of Welsh caps under Wayne Pivac.

But the announcement he’s signed for Gallagher Premiership outfit Worcester, who are coached by former Wales star Jonathan Thomas, ahead of the 2021/22 season will keep him out of contention for international selection.

Williams is the latest signing by Worcester Warriors, who have also added Duhan van der Merwe, Willi Heinz, Wales hooker Scott Baldwin and Sione Vailanu to their ranks for next season.