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Wales' biggest problem position isn't tighthead warns legend
By Ian Cameron
While a lot has been made of a sudden injury crisis at tighthead, Welsh legend Jonathan Davies believes it isn’t Wales’ biggest issue going forward.
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This weekend Wales have been forced to call up veteran Llyod Fairbrother from the Dragons, as Tomas Francis, Henry Thomas and Dillon Lewis – all of whom play outside of Wales – are unavailable. Leon Brown and Keiron Assiratti are also out injured.
However, it’s not the front row where Davies believes the real issue is.
Davies believes flyhalf – and to a lesser extent fullback – are where Wales need an answer and fast. With Dan Biggar retiring and Gareth Anscombe and Rhys Patchell heading overseas, depth at standoff in particular looks very slim.
“There’s been no one else coming through,” wrote Davies in his Wales online column. “There’s been no B matches or representative matches to develop them. At fly-half, you’ve had Dan and Gareth, with Rhys also in the picture as well. The cupboard has been bare beyond that for some time.
“We are heading into the unknown a bit here with the 10s and 15s. I was speaking to Dai Young the other day about resources. If you can’t afford marquee players, the only way is to develop them. The money then has to be put into proper coaching, mentoring and the player pipeline so they can achieve their best.
“It’s going to be very difficult. Of course, it’s difficult for the Union because what comes first – the chicken or the egg? You need the national team to create money for the rest of the game in Wales, but you need the rest of the game in Wales to develop those players for Wales. But development has to be high on the agenda.”
Davies has backed Sam Costelow as the only viable long-term option in the position.
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“We should have noticed that a long, long time ago. You’re just looking at it, wondering where it’s going to come from. It looks like, now, Sam Costelow will be the long-term fly-half for Wales.
“For Sam, the advice I’d give him, having been in that position myself, is you’ve got to communicate in that role. Regardless of who the captain is, the fly-half is the leader.”
