Kane James: The uncapped player Wales simply could not ignore

But it wasn’t that long ago that James was lining up to face Wales in the Six Nations for England at the Cardiff Arms Park.

Flicking back through the team sheets that I wrote, I actually covered Richard Whiffin’s U20S side’s fabulous 23-13 against England U20s in the Welsh capital.

England were denied the Grand Slam and the U20 Six Nations title, along with James, but there was a quiet confidence that his senior international career would be with Wales rather than England.

That evening, in Cardiff as well, Kepu Tuipulotu, born in Pontypool, came off with only minutes left on the clock. His side went from proceedings being level at the break (13-13), to playing in a hapless try-less final 40 minutes.

The 20-year-old, who is making incredible strides in his career at Bath Rugby and in the England pathway, now looks destined for a bright Test future.

Tuipulotu chose to represent England despite his birthplace and Tongan heritage, a decision he stands by: “I wanted to finish my academics and focus on rugby after that,” he said.

However, when he was replaced, one member of the crowd from the terrace below the media area shouted, “You should have played for Wales!”

With England trailing, the remark drew laughter from those around him, a tongue-in-cheek jibe that perhaps reflected the frustration in the stands as much as Tuipulotu's performance.

Like Exeter’s Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who starts on the wing at Hill Dickinson Stadium against Fiji this weekend, Welsh rugby lost two incredible talents frustratingly.

James from Haverfordwest, but currently plying his trade in the English Gallagher Prem for Exeter Chiefs, has opted against playing for England over Wales.

It’s a massive coup, and perhaps the Welsh Rugby Union has learned its lessons from previous players who were in the same situation as James.

Unlike Feyi-Waboso and Tuipulotu, the standout back-rower who can cover all positions across the back-row has a bright future playing for the nation of his birth.

“Kane is an exciting player. He’s so powerful and quick,” said head coach Steve Tandy following naming his match-day squad to face Los Pumas at the Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario.

James has committed to playing for Wales, and if he had not sustained an injury in January against Cardiff in the EPCR Challenge Cup, then he would have been a part of Steve Tandy’s Six Nations squad.

Along with Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright, James Botham, and Alex Mann, from watching James, he has all the attributes to excel at senior international level.

Those players are reaching their peaks as international operators, whilst the energy James will undoubtedly bring will add to the competitive nature of the Welsh back-row.

Dragons RFC Ben Carter, who is also having a breakthrough international spell, spoke about what James has been like in the Welsh squad so far.

“He’s very energetic, off the field as well,” said second row Carter.

That’s exactly it, isn’t it? Tandy has brought James in at the perfect time, and with him having so much potential, getting to know him ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup will only benefit Wales.

Head coach Tandy selected a 33-man squad for this summer’s inaugural Nations Championship, a replication of the number of players likely to fly to Australia in 2027.

Naming an extended squad ahead of the uncapped fixture against the Barbarians was a smart move by Tandy, but James remaining in the squad, unlike fellow uncapped player Bryn Bradley, perhaps says a lot about his potential.

The powerful ball carrying forward, gets his way over the gain line more often than not, and just had a breakthrough season with Exeter, where he competed in Twickenham in the Gallagher PREM final.

He’s not the biggest back-row player at Tandy’s disposal, but his sheer strength when it comes to carrying makes up for it. “The first session he came in, he had an immediate impact,” said Wales’ attack coach Matt Sherratt.

Only time will tell whether James has indeed got a bright future ahead at Test level. One thing that Tandy must do against Argentina is bring him on for at least the final quarter and see what impact he makes.