Wales team to face Barbarians: Star Makes Long-Awaited Return

With the match itself taking place outside of the international window, head coach Steve Tandy will be without several key individuals.

But with matches against Fiji, Argentina, and South Africa to come in the weeks ahead, this will provide the perfect opportunity for some of the players on the periphery of selection.

With that said, Tandy will likely still name a relatively strong starting XV as his side is given a perfect warm-up ahead of a big encounter against Fiji seven days later.

Scroll down to see who Ruck Rugby believes will likely be involved in Tandy’s XV for the game in south-west London.

Fullback has been a position of late that has brought major talking points. With Louis Rees-Zammit wanting to return to the wing, this is a perfect opportunity for Murray to show his worth.

He had a poor first campaign under Tandy during the autumn internationals, where his aerial game was rugged.

His attacking threat should just sneak him into the XV, but he needs to retrieve the form that almost warranted a British and Irish Lions call-up. Tom Rogers (not included in this list) and Ellis Mee are other options here, but for now, Murray feels best suited.

Grady didn’t have the happiest of outings in his last appearance in Twickenham, but following recovering from a fractured thumb, sustained in Cardiff’s marvellous comeback win against Scarlets, he should be fit.

With that, Wales will benefit greatly from having the big ball-carrying winger in the starting XV to get them advancing over the gainline. This will also be a perfect opportunity for valuable minutes for Grady, who has only played four full 80 minutes since the Six Nations.

Cohesion and togetherness will mean a great deal for Wales during this challenging logistical period this summer, and with James at 13, the centre partnership is building.

He has been called on several occasions to play at 12 moving forward, that could be right, but for now, the Scarlets player is best suited wearing that 13 jersey. Like Grady, he’s a very well-driven, hard-ball carrying player who relishes every opportunity provided, and is vital for Wales’ attacking game.

As the Six Nations went on, so Hawkins’s began to hit form and built a resilient partnership with his Scarlets counterpart James in midfield. He offers a great deal of difference for Wales when attacking, sometimes acting as the second playmaker alongside Dan Edwards.

He has this game to show his worth this summer; Tandy may look at other options. For now, he should stick with the newly turned 24-year-old.

This was a coin flip between Mee and Scarlets’ Rogers for the 11 jersey. It feels only right to give Mee a go this weekend, as Rogers of late has been one of Wales’ best regional performers. He should be saved for the Fiji contest at the Cardiff City Stadium seven days later.

He’s strong under the highball and is a very good player when given space to work. This outing is possibly not just for a spot on the wing, but potentially at fullback against the Pacific Island side.

If it wasn’t for the injury sustained against Scotland in the Six Nations, there might not be a need for debate for who starts at 10 for Wales moving forward. With that said, Dan Edwards responded well against Ireland and Italy, but should sit out this game so Costelow can make his case for selection.

That’s the beauty of this fixture against the Baa-Baas. Costelow played his best game for Wales that afternoon in Cardiff and is a very effective orchestrator in attack.

This battle for the ten jersey is going to become fascinating as the summer progresses.

Unlike many other positions in the XV, when Tomos Williams is back available to play for Wales, he’s one of the first names on the teamsheet, no questions asked. But he’s not eligible to play on Saturday, and this provides a perfect opportunity for the Ospreys player to shine.

He’s Wales’ best player here, who is a great quick thinker, and with Reuben Morgan-Williams and Ellis Bevan his competition for selection, this is maybe the easiest of calls.

Wales are fortunate to have such great depth and quality when it comes to loose-heads, but with Nicky Smith and Rhys Carré unavailable, Thomas will be playing with a point to prove.

Rightly so, following not playing in the Six Nations, and falling out of favour with the starting one shirt. He’s Wales’ best option here, so he should start.

Tandy will look at this game one of two ways: win or experiment. He should start Lake. But Scarlets’ Ryan Ellias has been playing impressively of late, and making the competition for starting hotly contestable.

Lake was brilliant as the Six Nations went on, so was Ellias, and this will only benefit Wales moving forward. Lake gets the selection just for capabilities at lineout time.

This is another position where Wales are weakened not only for this match but for the whole summer, as Lewis, on paper, is Wales’ fourth-best tight-head.

He still has the qualities of those above him in the pecking order and will undoubtedly relish the opportunity this summer as Wales’ interim starting number three.

This will be his first outing for Wales since May 2024.

A bit like Williams (when available), Carter has now certified himself as one of the first names on Tandy’s teamsheet. He has stepped up superbly and was one of Wales’ best performers during the Six Nations.

Controls the Wales lineout expertly, an area that can now be a more frequent catalyst for his side in attack. With Exeter’s Dafydd Jenkins back for the Fiji contest, it will be intriguing to see how this new second row partnership flourishes this summer.

I agree, this is a bold prediction, but there is some logic to my thinking here. This fixture is a low-stakes fixture and should be used to nurture players. That’s from giving experience, but also valuable minutes ahead of three demanding Test matches.

I’ve gone with uncapped Woodman, who has been mightily impressive for the Dragons this season, albeit being used in the back row for large parts, but this match should give him the much-needed exposure and taste of what an international match feels like.

Tandy may well go with Teddy Williams, but I think employing him on the bench, after not playing a competitive match since October, may be wise, with him coming on later in the contest.

For some now, back to maybe more sensible selections. At blind-side, Wales have the luxury of strong options here. Botham is the strongest of the lot.

He was impressive during the Six Nations, despite a brutal mistake which proved so costly.

As you want from your back-row players, he gets through a great deal of the unseen work which doesn’t get the plaudits it deserves, and he can also get his side on the front foot as well.

Those bold predictions weren’t a one-off, it seems. Again, Tandy should have Fiji at the forefront of his mind, and whatever comes from this match is only an extra.

With Morgan having not been on the international stage since coming off injured in the act of scoring against Argentina, I would much rather have him sit out of this match. The smart call here would be, albeit questionably, to have Taine Plumtree start.

The only problem is that it will raise eyebrows, and that’s why I’ve picked Wales’ best player in this era, but some may be watching through their fingers, hoping he makes it through.

Tandy won’t want a repeat of the autumn, nor does the whole of Wales.

This will be Wainwright’s final game outside of the designated international window for the foreseeable future due to his Leicester Tigers move from his beloved Gwent side. Without the shine of Morgan in the Six Nations, the 28-year-old was without doubt Wales’ player of the tournament.

He’s one of the best ball-carrying players at Tandy’s disposal and is effective when he breaks through tackles. He scored a brace in Wales’ last outing and is one that Wales will need to keep fit with trips to face Argentina and the world champions, South Africa, next month.

16. Ryan Ellias

17. Rhys Barratt

18. Sam Wainwright

19. Teddy Williams

20. Taine Plumtree

21. Reuben Morgan-Williams

22. Dan Edwards

23. Tom Rogers