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Wales head coach Steve Tandy has selected a powerful centre combination by pairing Max Llewellyn alongside Eddie James for Saturday’s Nations Championship opener against Japan.
Power Partnership in the Midfield
Llewellyn, standing at 6ft 6in and weighing 16st 12lbs, will partner the 6ft 4in, 16st 3lbs James to form one of the largest midfield pairings in Welsh rugby history. Tandy has shifted away from his previous strategy of deploying a recognized ball-player at inside centre, naming Llewellyn in the number 12 jersey. This tactical shift marks Tandy’s sixth different centre combination in his 13th international match in charge, as previous fixtures favored Joe Hawkins or Ben Thomas. Thomas is currently sidelined with a calf injury, while Hawkins missed selection for the autumn squad entirely.
Llewellyn spent much of his early career at inside centre with Cardiff before moving to Gloucester, where he primarily played outside centre. Prior to the current campaign, Llewellyn told BBC Sport Wales that inside centre remains his preferred position. Meanwhile, James progressed through the Scarlets as a natural inside centre, though Tandy views the 24-year-old’s long-term international future at outside centre. Tandy expressed excitement over the new pairing, highlighting Llewellyn’s strong form, solid defensive performances, and familiarity with the position from his time at Cardiff.
Lineup Changes and Club Representation
In the wider lineup, fly-half Sam Costelow gets the nod over Dan Edwards, while the back three features wings Josh Adams and Louis Rees-Zammit alongside full-back Blair Murray. Among the forwards, props Nicky Smith and Archie Griffin join captain Dewi Lake in the front row. Dafydd Jenkins has recovered from a knee injury to partner Ben Carter in the second row, with Alex Mann, Jac Morgan, and Aaron Wainwright completing the back row. Tomos Williams joins Costelow at half-back.
Tandy has made a total of seven personnel changes from the side that suffered a 43-0 defeat against South Africa in July. The matchday squad heavily features players based in England, with nine of the fifteen starters and twelve of the twenty-three total players competing in English club rugby. Domestically, the Scarlets contribute three players, Cardiff provides two, the Dragons have one, and the Ospreys have none, though half-backs Edwards and Reuben Morgan-Williams are named among the replacements.
Nations Championship Return
Wales resume their Nations Championship campaign following a mixed run in July that included a victory over Fiji followed by losses to Argentina and South Africa. Both Wales and Japan currently sit fifth in their respective hemisphere tables. Following the fixture against Japan, Wales will welcome New Zealand and Australia to home turf on consecutive Saturdays before concluding November at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham for play-off matches against an opponent yet to be decided. Tandy emphasized the team’s enthusiasm to return home, put their stamp on Saturday’s match, and begin the next phase of the campaign on a strong note.
