The cool air of the Vale Resort’s air-conditioned indoor space, where Steve Tandy addressed the media, was in sharp contrast to the sweltering conditions outside.
Wales’ head coach Tandy turned up the heat on his stance regarding players being scuppered from playing international rugby. It’s a ruling that baffles many about who can or cannot play for Wales.
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As Tandy named his extended training squad last month, he did so knowing that a considerable number of players would not be available to play until the opening Nations Championship match against Fiji.
It’s worth pointing out here that, despite not being able to compete this weekend in south-west London, a number of these players barred from this fixture were in attendance this week at Wales’ training base.
In a way, that’s good news for Tandy. Obviously, those who competed in the Prem final last weekend are to be brought in next Monday, but there’s one player from that final who has got the Welsh public talking.
Christ Tshiunza. After scoring his first try of the season for Exeter Chiefs in their historical 27-26 victory, the 24-year-old stole the headlines for his remarkable cross at the Recreation Ground, Bath.
From that semi-final and the encounter against Northampton Saints for silverware, something that would have been on his mind is waiting to discover whether he can play for Wales again.
The flanker will join Sale Sharks next season, following five years with the Devon side, and this has now made him unavailable for selection for Wales. This is due to the Welsh Rugby Union’s (WRU) questionable selection policy.
This staggering ruling requires players representing clubs outside Wales to have won at least 25 international caps. The flanker has 15. It’s believed that he did have offers from both the Ospreys and Cardiff Rugby.
Having repeatedly outlined his thoughts on players not being eligible following his squad announcement, Tandy spoke honestly on the matter ahead of his side’s long and gruelling summer schedule.
“As a coach, you want it all, don’t you?” he said.
“I wasn’t here when that (ruling) was put in place, and I don’t think it is fair for me to voice what I think about it.
“I’m disappointed for Christ, but ultimately, there are procedures that are put in place that we have to follow.
“I want as many Welsh qualified players available to us because we haven’t got a massive pool.
“Ultimately, you’ve got to follow the process.” That process is pretty clear to see, and is becoming a growing frustration in Wales.
At a time when there are a lot of off-field issues, which should be white noise for this Wales side, still, frustration remains. “I think any player that’s unavailable for us, you are always disappointed,” Tandy continued.
“We want as many Welsh players available to us as possible, but there’s also a process we’ve got to follow to make sure that it is done correctly and the players that are in Wales as well.”
Tshiunza chose to stay in England, albeit for one season. This does mean he could be involved in next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia, if he were to come and play in Wales.
He could also be made available for selection even sooner. Not this summer, but even as soon as the autumn internationals against Japan, New Zealand, and South Africa. This is because the offers made to him were deemed not fair and reasonable.
There’s clearly a contradiction here. Player markets, budgets, you name it, in Wales and England are unanimously completely different. Surely this leaves more questions than answers, doesn’t it?
It’s an issue which is putting Wales on the international stage at a considerable disadvantage. The matter of Tshiunza has been discussed at Professional Rugby Board (PRB) meetings, but discussions continue. For how long, nobody knows.
For Tshiunza, who’s been impressive for Exeter in their resurgent season, won the last of his 15 caps against South Africa in 2024. He featured in the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and he first tasted international rugby against Fiji in 2021.
But since Tandy took over, in his short tenure of nine games, he has not featured. This is due to injuries and the back row in Wales being highly competitive. Despite that, uncapped Exeter team-mate Kane James, who plies his trade in the same position as Tshiunza, has been selected for this summer.
If it weren’t for the switch to Sale, this discussion might not have been necessary. But now Tshiunza will be left out, just like Jarrod Evans, Rhys Carré, and many others were.
“We have been keeping an eye on him, but there’s been a process, and he’s been deemed unavailable for us through the 25 cap law,” Tandy insisted.
“That’s a shame. There’s been a process followed, so unfortunately, Christ will be unavailable to us.
“I’m not involved in all the procedures. There’ll be more details to come out around it, I’m sure.
“For now, he’s been deemed unavailable for us.”
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