New-look Wales squad named as six uncapped players called up amid shock omissions

Wales Online

20-05-2025

New-look Wales squad named as six uncapped players called up amid shock omissions
Gareth Anscombe, Max Llewellyn and a number of other names are missing, while new faces are in
Macs Page of the Scarlets
(Image: Gruffydd Thomas/Huw Evans Agency )
Wales have named their squad for the summer tour of Japan, with interim coach Matt Sherratt naming six new caps he bids to end over 600 days of waiting for a Test win.
Cardiff hooker Liam Belcher, Dragons tighthead Chris Coleman, Ospreys loosehead Garyn Phillips, Ospreys scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams, Scarlets back Macs Page and Ospreys wing Keelan Giles are the uncapped contingent as Sherratt named a 33-man squad for the two-Test tour in Japan. Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake, having skippered Wales in the summer and autumn last year, leads the team in Lions call-up Jac Morgan's absence.
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With Morgan and Tomos Williams the only call-ups for the British and Irish Lions, there was never likely to be too many surprises. However, even with the lack of Lions, there's no place for the likes of James Botham, Gareth Anscombe, Ellis Mee, Nick Tompkins and Max Llewellyn from the Six Nations squad.
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Second-rows Adam Beard and Will Rowlands are rested, while Dafydd Jenkins and Henry Thomas are both ruled out through injury. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
Sherratt has handed Test recalls to Kieran Hardy, Alex Mann, Josh Macleod, James Ratti, Johnny Williams and Cameron Winnett.
Ben Carter, Sam Costelow and Archie Griffin all return after missing the Six Nations through injury.
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'I'm excited to get the players together in camp to begin preparations for our summer campaign," said Sherratt. "I think there's a good blend of experience and young talent selected and that this group has a lot of potential.
'Going to Japan this July is a challenge the coaches and I are relishing. We are expecting a fierce contest from Japan in these Test matches.
'Over the next few weeks in camp, it's about working hard, getting all our prep right on and off the pitch and gelling together as a group.'
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Players will join up with Wales on a staggered basis from Monday depending on when their club season ends, before the squad flies out to Japan towards the end of June.
Wales' last victory in international rugby came against Georgia in the World Cup back in October 2023, meaning it will be 637 days of waiting when they face Japan this summer. Wales take on Japan in the first Test in Kitakyushu on July 5, before playing them again the following week in Kobe.
With no permanent replacement for Warren Gatland in place, Sherratt will once assume the interim role - having been in charge for the final three matches of the Six Nations following Gatland's mid-tournament departure.
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Wales squad for Japan (uncapped players in italics)
Forwards: Keiron Assiratti, Liam Belcher, Ben Carter, Chris Coleman, Elliot Dee, Taulupe Faletau, Archie Griffin, Dewi Lake (captain), Josh Macleod, Alex Mann, Garyn Phillips, Taine Plumtree, James Ratti, Tommy Reffell, Nicky Smith, Gareth Thomas, Freddie Thomas, Aaron Wainwright, Teddy Williams.
Backs: Josh Adams, Sam Costelow, Dan Edwards, Keelan Giles, Kieran Hardy, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Blair Murray, Macs Page, Joe Roberts, Tom Rogers, Ben Thomas, Johnny Williams, Rhodri Williams, Cameron Winnett.