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Regan Grace one of 3 uncapped players in final Wales squad

Regan Grace of Bath Rugby looks on during a Bath Rugby training session at Farleigh House on March 20, 2024 in Bath, England. (Photo by Patrick Khachfe/Getty Images)

Warren Gatland has confirmed his 34-player Wales squad that will leave for Australia on June 26 ahead of a two-Test series against the Wallabies.

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Bath’s former Super League winner Regan Grace is one of three uncapped players, alongside Gloucester fullback Josh Hathaway and Cardiff hooker Efan Daniel, in a squad captained by Dewi Lake.

Daniel was drafted into the squad last week and takes the place of Dragons hooker Elliot Dee, who has failed to recover from an ankle injury suffered before teaming up with the squad.

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Kurley Beale eager to help Wallabies back to the top

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Kurley Beale eager to help Wallabies back to the top

Grace too was called into the squad last week in place of Keelan Giles as Wales prepared to take on South Africa at Twickenham.

Following the 52-16 loss to the world champions, Gatland has reduced his squad slightly while Wales have also confirmed the absence of props Keiron Assiratti and Henry Thomas ahead of two Tests against the Wallabies and a fixture against the Queensland Reds.

Fixture
Internationals
Australia
25 - 16
Full-time
Wales
All Stats and Data

“We’re expecting two fiercely contested Test matches down under and are also pleased to be able to play a third fixture against the Queensland Reds,” Gatland said.

“I’m excited about this Wales squad. We know Australia is a tough place to go and play rugby, but we are relishing the challenge.

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“We are focusing on getting better as a group. This is a young squad that’s still learning at this level. There are lots of positives and good things that we can build on from the weekend and there are also areas that we will be working hard to address over the next few weeks.”

Wales squad
Forwards (19)
Corey Domachowski (Cardiff Rugby – 10 caps)
Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets – 3 caps)
Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 31 caps)
Efan Daniel (Cardiff Rugby – uncapped)
Dewi Lake (Ospreys – 13 caps) captain
Evan Lloyd (Cardiff Rugby – 3 caps)
Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby – 1 cap)
Dillon Lewis (Harlequins – 57 caps)
Harri O’Connor (Scarlets – 2 caps)
Ben Carter (Dragons – 12 caps)
Cory Hill (Secom Rugguts – 32 caps)
Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs – 17 caps)
Matthew Screech (Dragons – 2 caps)
Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs – 10 caps)
James Botham (Cardiff Rugby – 11 caps)
Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff Rugby – 4 caps)
Taine Plumtree (Scarlets – 3 caps)
Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers – 18 caps)
Aaron Wainwright (Dragons – 49 caps)

Backs (15)
Ellis Bevan (Cardiff Rugby – 1 cap)
Gareth Davies (Scarlets – 77 caps)
Kieran Hardy (Scarlets – 21 caps)
Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 13 caps)
Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby – 12 caps)
Eddie James (Scarlets – 1 cap)
Ben Thomas (Cardiff Rugby – 2 caps)
Nick Tompkins (Saracens – 36 caps)
Owen Watkin (Ospreys – 39 caps)
Rio Dyer (Dragons – 20 caps)
Regan Grace (Bath Rugby – uncapped)
Josh Hathaway (Gloucester Rugby – uncapped)
Liam Williams (Kubota Spears – 90 caps)
Jacob Beetham (Cardiff Rugby – 1 cap)
Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby – 6 caps)

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M
Mzilikazi 2 hours ago
Does the next Wallabies coach have to be an Australian?

Great read on a fascinating topic, Nick. Thanks as always.


My gut feel is that Joe Schmidt won't carry on through to the next RWC. He is at the stage, and age, in his life , that a further two years in a very high pressure coaching job would not be a good thing for either himself or his family. The fact that he remains based in Taupo seems a significant pointer, I would have thought. I believe he has a round trip of 12 hrs driving just to get on a plane to Australia.


Amongst the many good things Joe Schmidt has achieved to this point is that the WB's are now a more enticing prospect to coach going forward.


Tbh, the only Australian coach I would see stepping up and developing the WB's further would be Les Kiss. He has far more in his CV than any other Australian. He now has 23 years of coaching Union,starting with a defence role with the Boks, then back to Australia with the Waratahs. Overseas again for nine years in Ireland, which included 5 years as defence coach with the national team, during which he was interim head coach for two games, both wins. His last years in Ireland were with Ulster, even then a team beginning a decline. So that spell was his least successful. Finally the spell with London Irish, where I felt Kiss was doing very well, till the club collapsed financially.


Of the other Australian options, Dan McKellar has a lot to prove post the year with Leicester. Stephen Larkham has not, in my view, yet shown outstanding qualities as a coach. Nether man has anything close to Kiss's experience. Some may see this as being harsh on both men, ignoring good work they have done. But is how I see it.


Looking outside Australia, I would see Vern Cotter as a strong possibility, if interested. His time with Scotland was outstanding. Ronan O'Gara, I would think, might well be another possibility, though he has no international experience. Jake White ? Maybe .

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