Wales Shuffle Back-Row Ahead of Australia Test
Facing a hamstring injury, star number eight Aaron Wainwright will miss Wales’ upcoming Test match against Australia in Melbourne. With Wainwright’s absence, head coach Warren Gatland has reshuffled his back-row, shifting Taine Plumtree to the number eight position and bringing in James Botham at blindside flank, while Tommy Reffell retains his spot.
The youthful second-row pairing of Christ Tshiunza and Dafydd Jenkins will continue their work, while captain Dewi Lake is joined by props Archie Griffin and Gareth Thomas in the front-row.
Injuries have also forced changes in the back-three, with veteran Liam Williams shifting to the wing and Cameron Winnett moving into the full-back position. Rapid winger Rio Dyer keeps his spot on the wing.
The rest of the backline remains unchanged, with Mason Grady and Owen Watkin in the centres and the half-back partnership of Ben Thomas and Ellis Bevan.
Gatland has opted for a conventional 5-3 split on the bench, with Kieran Hardy, Sam Costelow and Nick Tomkins the backline options, while Evan Lloyd, Kelmsey Mathias, Harri O’Connor, Cory Hill and Mackenzie Martin provide the forward replacements.
“Discussing the team selection, Gatland expressed the team’s eagerness to return to the pitch in Melbourne, highlighting the need to build on their previous performance and sharpen the areas requiring improvement. The Wales head coach acknowledged that they expect a step up from the Wallabies and know they must match that intensity.”
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