Wales Call-Up Three Uncapped Players for November’s Nations Championship

Wales head coach Steve Tandy has named three uncapped players in his 39-man squad for November’s Nations Championship fixtures, with Leicester Tigers flanker Tommy Reffell and experienced number eight Taulupe Faletau among the notable omissions.

Dragons centre Aneurin Owen, scrum-half Che Hope and Cardiff prop Rhys Barratt are the three players hoping to make their international debuts, while Dewi Lake has been appointed captain for the upcoming Tests.

Wales will face Japan, New Zealand and Australia at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff before travelling to Twickenham for the Nations Championship Finals Weekend. The November fixtures will complete the inaugural competition, which began with three rounds of matches in July.

Owen and Hope Earn First Senior Wales Call-Ups

Owen’s selection comes after an impressive start to the season with Dragons, who have carried their encouraging 2025/26 form into the new campaign. The 26-year-old was previously involved in the Wales squad in 2021 but has yet to make his senior international debut.

With Cardiff centre Ben Thomas unavailable through injury, Owen joins Joe Hawkins, Eddie James, Max Llewellyn and Louie Hennessey among Tandy’s midfield options.

Scrum-half Hope, 23, also receives his first senior international call-up following an injury to Kieran Hardy. He will compete with Tomos Williams and Reuben Morgan-Williams for a place in the matchday squad, while Barratt completes the trio of uncapped selections after featuring against the Barbarians during the summer.

Tandy has also recalled Dragons wing Rio Dyer, who last represented Wales against South Africa in November 2025, alongside Leicester’s Gabriel Hamer-Webb.

Reffell and Faletau Miss Out as Tandy Makes Changes

Among the biggest selection decisions is the omission of Reffell, who has impressed for Leicester this season but misses out despite featuring for Wales during the summer.

Experienced back-row forward Faletau is another notable absentee. The Cardiff number eight recently returned from injury but has not been included, with Tandy instead selecting several players who have impressed domestically.

Cardiff’s Taine Basham returns to the international set-up, while Dragons lock Seb Davies could make his first Wales appearance since the 2022 Six Nations.

There are also returns for Dafydd Jenkins, Tomas Francis, Archie Griffin and Liam Belcher, all of whom were unavailable for Wales’ summer internationals.

The selection provides Tandy with a combination of established internationals and emerging players as Wales prepare for three demanding fixtures against southern hemisphere opposition.

Wales Prepare for Three Home Nations Championship Fixtures

Wales return to Nations Championship action following a mixed opening three rounds in July. Tandy’s side began with an impressive 39-24 victory over Fiji but subsequently suffered defeats against Argentina and South Africa, including a 43-0 loss to the Springboks in Durban.

Their November campaign begins against Japan before they welcome New Zealand and Australia to Cardiff on consecutive Saturdays.

Fixture	Date	Kick-off (UK)
Wales v Japan	Saturday 7 November	4:40pm
Wales v New Zealand	Saturday 14 November	2:10pm
Wales v Australia	Saturday 21 November	8:10pm

All three matches will take place at the Principality Stadium, with the Nations Championship Finals Weekend scheduled for 27-29 November at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

The introduction of several new faces gives Tandy further options as Wales look to build on their summer performances and finish their inaugural Nations Championship campaign positively.

Wales’ Full 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is captaining Wales in the 2026 Nations Championship?

Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake has been named captain of Wales’ 39-man squad for the November Nations Championship fixtures.

Which uncapped players have been selected for Wales?

Aneurin Owen, Che Hope and Rhys Barratt are the three uncapped players included in Steve Tandy’s squad.

Who will Wales play in November 2026?

Wales will face Japan on 7 November, New Zealand on 14 November and Australia on 21 November at the Principality Stadium, before participating in the Nations Championship Finals Weekend at Twickenham.

Why has Tommy Reffell been left out of the Wales squad?

Reffell has not been selected despite his recent performances for Leicester Tigers. Tandy has opted for alternative back-row options, including the returning Taine Basham.