Nations Championship: Rio Dyer cruelly misses out on Wales call-up

The speedster has missed out on Steve Tandy’s 48-man squad for this summer’s Nations Championship against Fiji, Argentina, and South Africa.

His omission from the squad has already sparked debate among many supporters, and quite frankly, there is really no surprise.

In a way, it was understandable that he missed out on the Six Nations, but in recent weeks, he has hit top form for the Dragons, and you could make the argument that he’s one of the inform wingers at Tandy’s disposal.

However, following the Gwent sides' trip to the Parc y Scarlets on Saturday, Dyer will then become a spectator for the summer, awaiting pre-season training ahead of next season.

It’s brutal. And this is despite a standout finish to the 2025/26 season.

At the moment, Cardiff’s Mason Grady and Scarlets’ Ellis Mee are both injured, and due to Gabriel Hamer-Webb playing outside of Wales, one would have expected Dyer to line up against the Barbarians on June 27 at Allianz Stadium.

The last time he missed out on selection back in January, Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia said ahead of his side's match against Munster in Cork that the 26-year-old will be fuelled by the omission.

“I felt for Rio, I called him after the team (for the Six Nations) was announced and just checked in with him, but he’s motivated to keep improving on his game and gets an opportunity this weekend,” said Tiatia.

Dyer was a member of Tandy’s first squad and claimed his last cap against South Africa in what turned into a harrowing afternoon for Welsh Rugby.

He has also scored seven tries since his 24th appearance for Wales, but in comparison to fellow compatriots in Wales, he’s crossed the whitewash on more occasions.

This is the same amount as Cardiff’s Josh Adams since the autumn. However, Blair Murray has scored three times, Tom Rogers once, Grady four times, and Mee three times.

All four have been selected ahead of the in-form winger, who played a huge part in the Dragons’ incredible run to the semi-final of the EPCR Challenge Cup.

On that matter, against Montpellier, a blend of his sheer pace and strength in defence was on show following a sensational try-saving tackle on the South of France side’s outside centre Auguste Cadot.

A tackle which was labelled one of the best defensive plays of the season. Nothing has come close to it.

But surely this omission, given it's an extended squad too, will carry a fair bit of despondence for the winger, missing out once again.

However, the feeling of misfortune of missing out this time around is warranted.

His omission goes down to consistency with selection, and the need for cohesion in a Wales side who ended their drought of losses in the Six Nations, and have their sights set on next year’s World Cup in Australia.

“It’s a huge ask for the players. But it’s an exciting challenge. That’s how we’re going to undertake it,” said Tandy on the summer ahead for Wales.

Only time will tell if leaving out Dyer was the right decision, but at this moment, it looks bold and clear to the Welsh rugby public as the wrong choice.