Uncapped Dragons duo earn Wales Nations Championship spots
Uncapped Dragons centre Aneurin Owen and scrum‑half Che Hope have been named in Wales’ squad for the upcoming Nations Championship. Head coach Steve Tandy announced a 39‑player roster for the November Tests, appointing hooker Dewi Lake as captain. The selection also sees Dragons lock Seb Davies and Cardiff number eight Taine Basham called up for the first time under Tandy’s tenure.
Cardiff loose‑head prop Rhys Barratt, who featured in the summer match against the Barbarians, becomes the third uncapped player in the group, while Dragons wing Rio Dyer receives a recall. Notable absentees include Leicester flanker Tommy Reffell and a fit‑again Taulupe Faletau. Wales will face Japan, New Zealand and Australia in Cardiff before finishing the series against a southern‑hemisphere side at Twickenham on the final weekend.
Owen, 26, from Newport, was part of the Wales squad in the summer of 2021 but did not play in the Tests against Canada or Argentina. He has been a key figure for the Dragons, building on a solid 2025‑26 season and a promising start to the current campaign. Injuries to Cardiff centre Ben Thomas open a place for Owen alongside Eddie James, Joe Hawkins, Max Llewellyn and Louie Hennessey in the midfield.
“Aneurin has been so consistent, you only have to look at what he has done week in and week out,” Tandy said. “I have spoken to a lot of people around how consistent he is with his training standards, communication on the field and attitude to work. He sees the game really well. The Dragons have been really competitive and he is a massive driver around that. He thoroughly deserves his opportunity because his performances have set him aside from everyone else.”
The 23‑year‑old Hope joins Tomos Williams and Reuben Morgan‑Williams in the squad, while Kieran Hardy faces a lengthy lay‑off after a knee injury. “Che is a really exciting talent, and the way that he has performed for the Dragons has been outstanding,” Tandy added.
Scarlets wing Macs Page does not make the cut, but Dragons winger Rio Dyer, who has started the season strongly, returns to the squad. The 26‑year‑old earned his most recent cap against South Africa last November. Leicester’s Gabriel Hamer‑Webb, who debuted for Wales against Scotland in the Six Nations, also re‑joins after missing the summer fixture.
Lock Seb Davies, who moved from Cardiff to the Dragons in the summer of 2025, will look to win his first cap since the 2022 Six Nations. Dynamic back‑row forward Basham, who has begun the season well for Cardiff, is selected ahead of a fit‑again Faletau, who played his first game of the campaign for Cardiff at Northampton on Sunday. Basham’s last cap came against England in the 2024 Six Nations.
“At the end of last season when Cardiff were playing the South African teams, Taine was really impressive and really fronted up,” Tandy noted. “He has kicked on and settled into Cardiff really well. He has been telling me all about his line breaks! He’s a great character, and this is a great opportunity.”
Leicester flanker Reffell, who featured in the summer Tests and has been in fine form, misses out due to a knee injury that will keep him sidelined for four to six weeks, targeting a return for the Tigers after the Nations Championship.
Lock Dafydd Jenkins, tight‑heads Tomas Francis and Archie Griffin, hooker Liam Belcher and centre Louie Hennessey are back after being unavailable for the July Tests against Fiji, Argentina and South Africa. Belcher is chosen ahead of Elliot Dee as the third hooker behind captain Lake and Ryan Elias.
“It’s great to welcome back the players who were unavailable for the first three rounds of the Nations Championship,” Tandy said. “Added to that, there are a number of players who’ve been in great form for their clubs, and so we wanted to give them an opportunity in the squad this autumn.”
The squad includes 14 players from clubs in England and Montpellier lock Adam Beard. There are seven call‑ups each from Cardiff and Scarlets, six from the Dragons and four from the Ospreys. A round of URC action this weekend sees back‑row forward Taine Plumtree and centre Joe Hawkins travel to South Africa with Scarlets for their match against the Stormers on Saturday.
Wales Nations Championship squad
Forwards: Rhys Barratt, Rhys Carre, Nicky Smith, Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake (captain), Liam Belcher, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis, Archie Griffin, Dillon Lewis, Adam Beard, Ben Carter, Seb Davies, Dafydd Jenkins, Teddy Williams, Taine Basham, James Botham, Kane James, Alex Mann, Jac Morgan, Taine Plumtree, Aaron Wainwright.
Backs: Che Hope, Reuben Morgan‑Williams, Tomos Williams, Sam Costelow, Dan Edwards, Joe Hawkins, Louie Hennessey, Eddie James, Max Llewellyn, Aneurin Owen, Josh Adams, Rio Dyer, Gabriel Hamer‑Webb, Ellis Mee, Blair Murray, Louis Rees‑Zammit, Tom Rogers.