Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Ben James

Jac Morgan and Tommy Reffell told they don't suit Wales' style of play as Wayne Pivac explains surprise omissions

Wayne Pivac has revealed why young openside talents Jac Morgan and Tommy Reffell were overlooked by Wales for their upcoming autumn campaign.

Both Morgan and Reffell missed out on selection in the summer when a Wales team shorn of its Lions took on Canada and Argentina in Cardiff.

However, with more back-row injuries and both players starting the season in fine form, it had seemed likely that one, if not both, would have received a call-up.

But that wasn't the case - with Wales receiving special dispensation to instead call up Cardiff-bound Wasps flanker Thomas Young, who had been previously captured by the 60-cap rule.

And when asked about what more Ospreys' Morgan and Leicester Tigers' Reffell could have done, Pivac admitted that they weren't quite suited to Wales' style of play yet.

"That is an example of the quality of the No 7s we’ve got, but the question is the type of game we want to play," said the Wales coach.

"Some clubs play in a similar style to us, but others don’t and their players don’t get to work on the areas of the game that are important to us.

"They have to understand the style of game we want to play, the positional requirements within that and the skill set required to fulfil that role.

"Along with that you need the fitness levels to play at this level, the repeatability and the top end gas. When you look at all of those things, some of the players tick some of the boxes, but not all of them.

"It is our job to ensure we pick the players who tick the majority of the boxes.

"I spoke to Tommy a few weeks ago and he knows he is on the radar as is Jac Morgan. They know the work they have to do."

Win free tickets to watch Wales v New Zealand

You can also enter our competition for free tickets here.

Just how easy it will be to do that is another matter.

Wales are clearly looking for player who can carry strongly but also have the ball-handling skills to distribute at openside - judging by their selections of Young and Dragons' Taine Basham.

According to Opta, since making his Premiership debut for Wasps in September 2014, Young ranks in the top ten forwards for breaks (3rd), defenders beaten (7th), metres gained (9th), tackles (7th), tries (29, 3rd) and try assists (15, 2nd).

It's that explosiveness in attack that is what is clearly capturing the eye of Pivac, with the former Scarlets coach also speaking highly of the work Basham is able to do in the wider channels.

  • For the latest breaking news, interviews and headlines in Wales, you can sign up to our newsletters to get the biggest stories delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.