Rio Dyer is among the five Welsh players who impressed this weekend

Dragons RFC were the only Welsh side to record a victory; they put aside Newcastle Red Bulls impressively, 35-12, at Rodney Parade on Friday.

Scarlets, one of the four regional sides, were unable to advance to the knockout stages of the Champions Cup following a heroic display against Northampton Saints.

This, whilst both Cardiff Rugby and Ospreys, who had already entered the weekend through to the last 16 in the Challenge Cup, fell to defeats against Exeter Chiefs and Montpellier, respectively.

But, with the 2026 Six Nations quickly approaching and the Wales squad announcement on Tuesday, who has put their hand up and forced their way into Tandy’s squad ahead of the announcement?

Dyer, who was overlooked by former head coach Warren Gatland in last year’s edition of the championships, has possibly hit his best form at the right time. Tandy brought in the 26-year-old for the November Tests and played against South Africa.

Since that forgettable afternoon in the Welsh capital for Wales, the winger has been on the rise. He scored twice against Newcastle and is playing with full confidence.

Particularly with Louis Rees-Zammit moving to fullback for Bristol Bears, this may give the perfect opportunity for Dyer to become a regular Test player since debuting in 2022.

Despite narrowly falling to a 31-26 defeat, a resurgent Watkin’s has made a huge impact since returning for the Ospreys. The 29-year-old returned against Montauban in December after being sidelined for 10 months due to ruptured knee ligaments.

It’s been a welcome return for the centre, who last played for Wales in last year’s championship curtain raiser in Paris. With Gloucester’s Max Llewellyn out with injury, and with more than likely Joe Hawkins occupying the 12 jersey, this may be a golden opportunity for Watkin.

Since his return, he’s started at inside centre (vs Munster) and outside centre (vs Scarlets, Cardiff, and Montpellier), where he has scored on two occasions.

Sticking with the Ospreys, Moriarty, who came off the bench in his side’s defeat at the Electric Brewery Field, but still shone as he crossed the whitewash.

He’s an experienced operator, and since returning from France, he’s proving that on a consistent basis, whether that be at blindside, eight, or as a substitute.

His physicality could be huge for Wales, but, as head coach Mark Jones said in the aftermath of his side's defeat, it all depends on what the build-up looks like ahead of the World Cup. If he is selected, this will be his first appearance in a Welsh shirt since 2022.

The 31-year-old has been brilliant in recent weeks for the Dragons and was a great asset in his side’s win last Friday. Tactically, he is a brilliant decision maker, whether that be with the ball in hand or with the boot, he’s always looking to get his side over the gainline.

It is perhaps a long shot to state that he could be included in Tandy’s squad, but he definitely deserves to be brought into discussions when Tandy and his backroom team sit down about squad selection.

There’s strong competition for the 15 jersey, but it could happen. Time will tell.

When you look at the best individual performances from the weekend, Mee’s outing at Franklin’s Gardens was one of the standouts despite being on the losing side. It was brilliant build-up play for Archie Hughes’ try, after the 22-year-old, who started against South Africa in the autumn, posed as a great attacking threat.

Wales lacked strength under the high ball during the autumn period, but Mee was excellent.

Whilst being left out of Wales’ squad that toured Japan in the summer and autumn before being called in against the Springboks, Mee, like Dyer, has hit form at the right time and competition in the back three is competitive.