Tandy acknowledges Wales' heavy reliance on Tomos Williams

Wales head coach Steve Tandy has acknowledged the extent of his team's dependence on scrum-half Tomos Williams, while accepting that more depth needs to be developed in the position. BBC Sport reported his comments alongside figures showing that replacement scrum-halves have played only 48 minutes across the 12 internationals Williams has started under Tandy.

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Williams has completed five of those matches and averaged 74.3 minutes per Test, a figure that also accounts for two yellow cards. The use of his understudies has been particularly limited during 2026: players selected to cover him from the bench have accumulated just 30 minutes across nine Tests. Williams started all nine and played the full match in four.

The sole match Williams did not start during Tandy's tenure was Wales' 73-0 defeat by South Africa in November 2025. That fixture took place outside World Rugby's international window, leaving players based at English clubs unavailable. His absence on that occasion therefore reflected the restrictions surrounding the fixture rather than a decision to rotate the starting scrum-half.

Tandy told the BBC that the reliance on Williams was substantial, but said the player enjoyed regular rugby and benefited from establishing a rhythm. He contrasted that preference with the greater rotation at Saracens, explaining that players respond differently to alternating between matches. The coach said Williams was currently in a good place, while acknowledging the demands placed on an important member of the side.

Wales' alternatives have been reduced by the serious knee injury Kieran Hardy suffered in October. Hardy had served as Williams' deputy, although his opportunities were limited, and the injury could prevent him from playing at the 2027 World Cup in Australia. Reuben Morgan-Williams and uncapped Dragons player Che Hope are the other scrum-halves in the autumn squad.

Tandy said Morgan-Williams was progressing well and described Hope as an exciting prospect. He stressed that developing them required consideration of both their individual needs and the opposition. Although he recognised that Test experience cannot be replicated elsewhere, he cited the challenge of starting Hope against New Zealand as an example of the decisions coaches must weigh when expanding their options.