Tandy faces early tests after naming first Wales squad

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Wales Head Coach Steve Tandy speaking in a press conference

ByDafydd Jones

BBC Sport Wales

New Wales head coach Steve Tandy walked into his news conference after naming his 39-man squad for the autumn Tests with a smile, a handshake and a relaxed manner.

Facing a group of journalists at the Wales team base in the Vale of Glamorgan on Tuesday, the 45-year-old looked at ease as he discussed his first squad selection.

But behind the calm exterior, Tandy knows the scale of the challenge in front of him, with major issues looming large.

Regional uncertainty creates unease

The most immediate challenge facing Tandy is one he cannot control.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) will make an announcement before the end of October following its consultation process on the future of the professional game.

According to WRU director of rugby Dave Reddin, the possibility of cutting two regional sides from the current four remains "on the table".

That uncertainty has cast a shadow over the domestic season - and by extension, Tandy's first international window. He knows many of his players are dealing with anxiety about their futures.

"I think you've got to be really empathetic to that situation," said Tandy. "We've all got families, partners and children. It's always being empathetic. But we can't avoid it either.

"It's something I'm encouraging from the senior players. We've got to talk about it - you can't avoid the elephant in the room. With uncertainty, that's the last thing you want to do, - if they feel it's awkward, I'd rather know.

"It goes back to building those connections so they can pick up the phone and have that conversation. For me, it's about being very open and having dialogue, no matter what it is. When you speak to players, they're desperate to play for their country.

"Ultimately, it's a slight distraction, but the more we move on through it and talk about it, the clearer we can be about producing performances."

It is a delicate backdrop against which Tandy has to unite his squad - and start shaping a new era - when so much uncertainty hangs over the professional game.

Player availability - and unavailability

Another early headache comes in the shape of player availability.

Several of Wales' key men will not train with the national squad until the week of the opening Test against Argentina on 9 November, and they will be unavailable for the final match of the series against world champions South Africa.

That game at the Principality Stadium falls outside World Rugby's official international window, meaning players plying their trade outside of Wales will be unavailable. Twelve of Tandy's 39-man squad are affected.

It could, however, open the door for a number of uncapped players - Brodie Coghlan (Dragons), Danny Southworth (Cardiff), James Fender (Ospreys) and Morgan Morse (Ospreys) - to stake their claim.

Whether their chance comes earlier against Argentina, Japan or New Zealand, or later against the Springboks, remains to be seen.

"Absolutely," said Tandy when asked if the South Africa game could offer opportunities.

"It's a blank canvas. It doesn't matter what age you are, it's a blank canvas on selection.

"There are senior players who you think might play, but ultimately there is a chance for everyone to put a mark down on how they train and how they operate off the field in the group.

"There's an opportunity for a cap. Some might not get capped, but there's still a real opportunity to show how good they are - it's such a big opportunity for these individuals. For them to represent their country at Principality Stadium, ultimately there would be no greater honour."

For a new head coach, balancing immediate results with long-term squad development is always a tricky equation. This autumn, circumstances may accelerate that process.

Selection calls and backline shake-up

Perhaps the most visible sign of change comes in the make-up of Tandy's 39-man squad, especially behind the scrum.

Scarlets players featured prominently in the backline during the the summer tour of Japan under interim coach Matt Sherratt. But after a winless start to the United Rugby Championship (URC) season, several have been left out including Sam Costelow, Johnny Williams, Joe Roberts, Ellis Mee and Macs Page.

Tandy has been clear that form has dictated those decisions, particularly at fly-half. Dan Edwards has been solid for Ospreys and starred in the second Test in Japan, Jarrod Evans has impressed at Harlequins, and Callum Sheedy has been a key figure for Cardiff.

"Form will go into it," said Tandy. "For Costelow, the form of the others has been really, really impressive. You look at Dan [Edwards] and how he played in Japan. He took his opportunity and he's carried on with the Ospreys.

"Jarrod [Evans] has been playing well with Harlequins. Callum Sheedy - you look at how impressive he's been. The way he's bossed games and the way Cardiff are playing.

"We feed things back to players. For me, it's more about what the others are doing."

For some established internationals, that means watching from home this autumn. For others, it's an invitation to seize the moment.

Off the field, Tandy has plenty to manage. On it, the challenge is equally pressing: Wales need to improve quickly after a difficult period under former boss Warren Gatland.

Selection decisions in recent seasons were sometimes muddled, coaching approaches were criticised as stale, and the team's style of play has struggled to evolve.

The result was a slide in form that saw Wales lose 18 Tests on the bounce before the win over Japan in Kobe under interim head coach Sherratt in July.

Tandy is under no illusion about the scale of the task: "I think you want an absolute level of performance and to be able to look back on the four games and know what we are, with a clear identity of how we want to play.

"I'd love to sit here and say four wins, but that's not reality. It's making sure we're very clear of how we want to play.

"That's the exciting part for Monday. We've got an idea of how we want to play, but it's immersing that with the players and connecting it. I'd love to be sitting here with people after the autumn, with them all knowing how Wales want to play."

This autumn is about more than results. It is about establishing clarity, cohesion and a renewed identity, laying the foundations for a team capable of competing at the highest level in the years ahead.