Wales Six Nations 2026 squad: Tandy names unchanged XV for Super Saturday clash with Italy

Sarah Rendell

Blair Murray replaces Louie Hennessey on the bench in only change to matchday 23

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The Wales Six Nations 2026 squad head into their Super Saturday match against Italy looking for the win that will end their 15-match Six Nations losing streak.

There were signs the side had turned a corner against both Scotland and Ireland, and – while they’re unlikely to avoid a third consecutive Wooden Spoon – Steve Tandy’s players will believe they’re capable of causing an upset under the Principality Stadium roof.

The head coach has subsequently named an unchanged XV from the one that lost in Dublin last weekend, with the only change to the 23 coming on the bench where Blair Murray replaces Louie Hennessey.

Behind the scrum, Tandy sticks with his centre pairing of Joe Hawkins and Eddie James, with a back three of Josh Adams, Ellis Mee and Louis Rees-Zammit. Tomos Williams and Dan Edwards are the half-back combination.

In the pack, there’s a front row of Rhys Carré (who scored a wonder try at the Aviva Stadium), captain Dewi Lake and Tomas Francis, ahead of locks Dafydd Jenkins and Ben Carter. Alex Mann and James Botham are the flankers, with the ever-present Aaron Wainwright (who had been an injury doubt for Saturday) continuing at number 8.

The replacements line-up on a 5-3 bench is Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Archie Griffin, Adam Beard, Ollie Cracknell, Kieran Hardy, Jarrod Evans and the aforementioned Murray.

“This week we need to go up another level,” said Tandy. “We’ve had some really good performances.

“I think there were parts against France, then we built up into the Scotland game where I thought we were very good. Against Ireland we stepped up to the plate physically. Now it’s putting it all together and creating our best performance this weekend.”

Wales v Italy kicks off at 4.40pm GMT on Saturday 14 March, with free live coverage on BBC One, S4C and BBC iPlayer in the UK, and RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player in Ireland.

Wales Six Nations team v Italy – round 5

15. Louis Rees-Zammit
14. Ellis Mee
13. Eddie James
12. Joe Hawkins
11. Josh Adams
10. Dan Edwards
9. Tomos Williams

1. Rhys Carré
2. Dewi Lake (captain)
3. Tomas Francis
4. Dafydd Jenkins
5. Ben Carter
6. Alex Mann
7. James Botham
8. Aaron Wainwright

Replacements:
16. Ryan Elias
17. Nicky Smith
18. Archie Griffin
19. Adam Beard
20. Ollie Cracknell
21. Kieran Hardy
22. Jarrod Evans
23. Blair Murray

Wales Six Nations team v Ireland – round 4

15. Louis Rees-Zammit
14. Ellis Mee
13. Eddie James
12. Joe Hawkins
11. Josh Adams
10. Dan Edwards
9. Tomos Williams

1. Rhys Carré
2. Dewi Lake (captain)
3. Tomas Francis
4. Dafydd Jenkins
5. Ben Carter
6. Alex Mann
7. James Botham
8. Aaron Wainwright

Replacements:
16. Ryan Elias
17. Nicky Smith
18. Archie Griffin
19. Adam Beard
20. Ollie Cracknell
21. Kieran Hardy
22. Jarrod Evans
23. Louie Hennessey

Wales Six Nations team v Scotland – round 3

15. Louis Rees-Zammit
14. Gabriel Hamer-Webb
13. Eddie James
12. Joe Hawkins
11. Josh Adams
10. Sam Costelow
9. Tomos Williams

1. Rhys Carré
2. Dewi Lake (captain)
3. Tomas Francis
4. Dafydd Jenkins
5. Ben Carter
6. Taine Plumtree
7. Alex Mann
8. Aaron Wainwright

Replacements:
16. Ryan Elias
17. Nicky Smith
18. Archie Griffin
19. Freddie Thomas
20. James Botham
21. Kieran Hardy
22. Jarrod Evans
23. Blair Murray

Wales Six Nations team v France – round 2

15. Louis Rees-Zammit
14. Ellis Mee
13. Eddie James
12. Joe Hawkins
11. Josh Adams
10. Dan Edwards
9. Tomos Williams

1. Rhys Carré
2. Dewi Lake (captain)
3. Tomas Francis
4. Dafydd Jenkins
5. Adam Beard
6. Aaron Wainwright
7. Alex Mann
8. Olly Cracknell

Replacements:
16. Ryan Elias
17. Nicky Smith
18. Archie Griffin
19. Ben Carter
20. Taine Plumtree
21. Kieran Hardy
22. Jarrod Evans
23. Mason Grady

Wales Six Nations team v England – round 1

15. Louis Rees-Zammit
14. Ellis Mee
13. Eddie James
12. Ben Thomas
11. Josh Adams
10. Dan Edwards
9. Tomos Williams

1. Nicky Smith
2. Dewi Lake (captain)
3. Archie Griffin
4. Dafydd Jenkins
5. Adam Beard
6. Alex Mann
7. Josh Macleod
8. Aaron Wainwright

Replacements:
16. Liam Belcher
17. Rhys Carré
18. Tomas Francis
19. Ben Carter
20. Taine Plumtree
21. Harri Deaves
22. Kieran Hardy
23. Mason Grady

Wales Six Nations squad 2026: Tandy’s 39-man squad

Forwards (21): Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff), Adam Beard (Montpellier), Liam Belcher (Cardiff), James Botham (Cardiff), Rhys Carre (Saracens), Ben Carter (Dragons), Olly Cracknell (Leicester), Harri Deaves (Ospreys), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Provence), Archie Griffin (Bath), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter), Dewi Lake (Ospreys, captain), Alex Mann (Cardiff), Josh Macleod (Scarlets), Nicky Smith (Leicester), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Freddie Thomas (Gloucester), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), Sam Wainwright (Scarlets), Ryan Woodman (Dragons)

Backs (18): Josh Adams (Cardiff), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Dan Edwards (Ospreys), Jarrod Evans (Harlequins), Mason Grady (Cardiff), Kieran Hardy (Ospreys), Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Leicester), Joe Hawkins (Scarlets), Louie Hennessey (Bath), Eddie James (Scarlets), Ellis Mee (Scarlets), Reuben Morgan-Williams (Ospreys), Blair Murray (Scarlets), Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol Bears), Tom Rogers (Scarlets), Ben Thomas (Cardiff), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Tomos Williams (Gloucester)

Wales Six Nations squad: 2026 fixtures at a glance

  • Sat 7 February, England v Wales (kick-off 4.40pm GMT, Allianz Stadium, Twickenham) Live on ITV in the UK
  • Sun 15 February, Wales v France (kick-off 3.10pm GMT, Principality Stadium, Cardiff) Live on the BBC in the UK
  • Sat 21 February, Wales v Scotland (kick-off 4.40pm GMT, Principality Stadium, Cardiff) Live on the BBC in the UK
  • Fri 6 March, Ireland v Wales (kick-off 8.10pm GMT, Aviva Stadium, Dublin) Live on ITV in the UK
  • Sat 14 March, Wales v Italy (kick-off 4.40pm GMT, Principality Stadium, Cardiff) Live on the BBC in the UK

Wales Six Nations squad: Line-ups from every match in 2025

Round 1: v France (Stade de France, Paris)

Result: France 43-0 Wales

Starting XV:
15. Liam Williams
14. Tom Rogers
13. Nick Tompkins
12. Owen Watkin
11. Josh Adams
10. Ben Thomas
9. Tomos Williams

1. Gareth Thomas
2. Evan Lloyd
3. Henry Thomas
4. Will Rowlands
5. Dafydd Jenkins
6. James Botham
7. Jac Morgan (captain)
8. Aaron Wainwright

Replacements:
16. Elliot Dee
17. Nicky Smith
18. Keiron Assiratti
19. Freddie Thomas
20. Tommy Reffell
21. Rhodri Williams
22. Dan Edwards
23. Blair Murray

Round 2: v Italy (Stadio Olimpico, Rome)

Result: Italy 22-Wales 15

Starting XV:
15. Blair Murray
14. Tom Rogers
13. Nick Tompkins
12. Eddie James
11. Josh Adams
10. Ben Thomas
9. Tomos Williams

1. Gareth Thomas
2. Evan Lloyd
3. Henry Thomas
4. Will Rowlands
5. Freddie Thomas
6. James Botham
7. Jac Morgan (captain)
8. Taulupe Faletau

Replacements:
16. Elliot Dee
17. Nicky Smith
18. Keiron Assiratti
19. Teddy Williams
20. Aaron Wainwright
21. Rhodri Williams
22. Dan Edwards
23. Josh Hathaway

Round 3: v Ireland (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)

Result: Wales 18-27 Ireland

Starting XV:
15. Blair Murray
14. Tom Rogers
13. Max Llewellyn
12. Ben Thomas
11. Ellis Mee
10. Gareth Anscombe
9. Tomos Williams

1. Nicky Smith
2. Elliot Dee
3. WillGriff John
4. Will Rowlands
5. Dafydd Jenkins
6. Jac Morgan (captain)
7. Tommy Reffell
8. Taulupe Faletau

Replacements:
16. Evan Lloyd
17. Gareth Thomas
18. Henry Thomas
19. Teddy Williams
20. Aaron Wainwright
21. Rhodri Williams
22. Jarrod Evans
23. Joe Roberts

Round 4: v Scotland (Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh)

Result: Scotland 35-29 Wales

Starting XV:
15. Blair Murray
14. Tom Rogers
13. Max Llewellyn
12. Ben Thomas
11. Ellis Mee
10. Gareth Anscombe
9. Tomos Williams

1. Nicky Smith
2. Elliot Dee
3. WillGriff John
4. Will Rowlands
5. Dafydd Jenkins
6. Jac Morgan (captain)
7. Tommy Reffell
8. Taulupe Faletau

Replacements:
16. Dewi Lake
17. Gareth Thomas
18. Keiron Assiratti
19. Teddy Williams
20. Aaron Wainwright
21. Rhodri Williams
22. Jarrod Evans
23. Joe Roberts

Round 5: v England (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)

Result: Wales 14-68 England

Starting XV:
15. Blair Murray
14. Ellis Mee
13. Max Llewellyn
12. Ben Thomas
11. Joe Roberts
10. Gareth Anscombe
9. Tomos Williams

1. Nicky Smith
2. Elliot Dee
3. WillGriff John
4. Will Rowlands
5. Dafydd Jenkins
6. Aaron Wainwright
7. Jac Morgan (captain)
8. Taulupe Faletau

Replacements:
16. Dewi Lake
17. Gareth Thomas
18. Keiron Assiratti
19. Teddy Williams
20. Tommy Reffell
21. Rhodri Williams
22. Jarrod Evans
23. Nick Tompkins

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