Who is Chris Coleman, the unexpected Wales call-up whose video convinced Adam Jones

Wales Online

22-05-2025

Who is Chris Coleman, the unexpected Wales call-up whose video convinced Adam Jones
The 26-year-old uncapped prop has been named in the squad for the summer tour of Japan
Chris Coleman has been called up by Wales for the summer tour
(Image: Ben Evans/Huw Evans Agency )
The suggestion on Tuesday morning, as calls went out looking for any steers on Wales' summer squad for the tour of Japan, was that surprises would be few and far between.
After all, with just two Welshmen in Andy Farrell's British and Irish Lions squad to tour Australia, this wasn't the usual development tour that tends to unfold every four years. Instead, the likelihood was that Wales would be facing the Brave Blossoms in July with a fairly full-strength team.
‌
And yet, in amongst the raft of usual suspects, there was room for the odd selection to raise an eyebrow.
‌
Uncapped Dragons tighthead Chris Coleman was one such name, with the 26-year-old brought into his first senior camp - seven years after he was playing for the U20s.
Even with a solid run of starts for the Men of Gwent this season, few would have named Coleman in their predicted squads prior to Tuesday's announcement.
Yet, even if his name has rarely cropped up in selection discussions, he's always been there - lurking on the radar.
Article continues below
"When I turned up to the Dragons, my first games were against Wasps and Bristol in pre-season," former Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan told WalesOnline.
"Chris was a player I thought had a massive ceiling at the time.
"He got injured at the end of pre-season, but in those two games, he was our best player. I remember turning to Luke Narraway and saying how good he was.
‌
"Jonathan Humphreys always asked about his progression and how he was going."
Wales' scrum guru for the summer, Adam Jones, has been equally impressed.
"I'll be honest with you, Adam Jones had a big say on that," said Wales interim coach Matt Sherratt when explaining his selection. "He did a lot of work in terms of looking at his footage.
‌
"He spoke to Sam Hobbs and Filo (Tiatia) with what he's got to offer. I think everything that came back was that, with the right coaching and if his mindset is in the right place, he could be one for the future.
"I think he's someone who has fallen into the bracket of 'let's have a look at him'. He's started a lot of regional games. He's a big man.
"He could be one for the future. Adam Jones is pretty excited by him."
‌
WalesOnline understands that former Lions prop Jones, having already worked with Wales during the Six Nations, was already enquiring about Coleman back then as the national team look to strengthen their tighthead stocks. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
"There's no better prop (to learn from)," added Flanagan. "He probably won't believe it's true.
"He'll be pinching himself because he's very humble. He's got some competition with Dillon (Lewis) coming in (to the Dragons next year).
‌
"Hopefully he'll be an international player by then and can kick on. This will do his confidence the world of good. His dad used to travel all around watching him and they'll be so proud.
"I've known him since he was 15. He came through Pontypool Schools and then we recruited him at Newport High before I went to the Scarlets. He's just worked extremely to keep himself in condition.
"When he was a kid, he had to work hard to get to the shape he's in now. He's always had the ability. He can play like a 10. His skillset is unbelievable. His passing game and his ability to find space, for a prop, is as good as you'll find.
‌
"What he has done is knuckle down and work hard. He worked hard with Mefin Davies last year. He had a mentor scheme with Lloyd Fairbrother to work above him. He's worked with Sam Hobbs too. It's still a work-on. He's a great kid. He's a proper Pontypool boy."
Having made the squad as one of three tightheads alongside Cardiff's Keiron Assiratti and Bath's Archie Griffin, Coleman will now have the chance to experience an international environment.
And with Griffin likely to arrive late into camp as Bath go in search of a Gallagher Premiership title, Coleman will have the benefit of more reps as he looks to show he can make the step up from club level from next Monday.
‌
"That's always the challenge," said Sherratt after naming his squad. But there's only one way of finding out as well."
For what it's worth, Flanagan has no doubt that he can make that transition to Test level as he starts working with Jones in the weeks ahead.
"What Chris will have the ability to do, while he'll be tested at the set-piece, is he'll be able to play at that level," he added.
Article continues below
"He can tackle with the best of them. When he tackles, he hits and he has intent to finish people off.
"Hopefully this gives him the confidence boost to kick on. It's just the amount of exposure he'll have, working with Adam."