Taine Basham eyes Wales recall after Dragons exit to Cardiff
The dynamic back rower has left Rodney Parade for the Arms Park after seven seasons, 109 appearances and 21 tries for the club.
The 25-year-old from Talywain has previously been on the radar of English clubs but it is a desire to force his way back into the Test frame that led to a Cardiff switch.
Basham, an explosive openside or number eight, won the last of his 17 caps off the bench against England in 2024 and is currently behind Jac Morgan and Tommy Reffell in the pecking order at 7 and Taulupe Faletau and Aaron Wainwright at 8.
He hopes that a fresh club challenge can help him return to the form that saw him impress against New Zealand, South Africa and Australia in the 2021 autumn internationals.
IMPRESSIVE: Taine Basham caught the eye for Wales against New Zealand in 2021 (Image: David Davies)
'My rise to international rugby was fairly quick and I haven't been in recent squads,' said Basham, who played at the 2023 World Cup.
'A new environment and set of peers will hopefully be good for me because I don't have the number of caps that I thought I would have by now.
'I've seen a lot of people who have stayed at the Dragons for all of their career but I felt that I needed something different and a change of scene.
'I'm going to focus on getting back to the form of 2021 when I played well against the southern hemisphere teams because I am desperate to get back in that Welsh set-up.'
Basham signed a one-year contract extension in April 2024 after interest from Saracens, yet it wasn't just Wales ambitions that led to the Cardiff switch.
The back rower might not be available to experience some good-natured jibes from the terrace when the Blue and Blacks look to extend their 19-game winning streak over the Dragons on Friday, October 17.
SWITCH: Taine Basham has left the Dragons for Cardiff (Image: Gareth Everett)
'It was the game that I looked for first when the fixture list came out but we are expecting another baby boy around mid-October,' said Basham, who has a three-year-old son Tomas with his partner Giovanna.
'Whatever happens, happens. We've got the derby at the Arms Park that I will hopefully be involved in and I just look forward to a very 'warm welcome' whenever I do make the return to Rodney Parade!'
Basham consistently caught the eye after being given his Dragons debut under Bernard Jackman at the Scarlets in January, 2018.
He is one of just seven players to have scored a hat-trick for the club – in a superb display against Castres in 2019 as Wales coach Wayne Pivac watched on – and Jason Forster is the only back rower to have crossed more times.
'I was at the Dragons since I was 14 and made some really good connections and friendships,' said Basham.
'I've got so many fond memories and all of the staff have been so good to me all the way through, especially James Chapron, who was my academy manager. I've met so many good people and will stay in touch.
'I was at the Dragons for seven seasons and a big target was to get my name on the board in the Bisley Room for 100 appearances. I'm proud to have done that.'
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