Wales head coach Steve Tandy has been left without a number of his key players for the match against the Barbarians, and, in this case, for the whole summer.
It’s not that players can’t play due to eligibility issues; the fixture against the invitational side takes place outside the designated international window, prompting several players to step up.
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With Tomas Francis not available this summer, and both Archie Griffin and Keiron Assiratti sidelined due to injury, Wales head into the summer Test window surprisingly light on tight-head options.
It leaves Dillon Lewis, Sam Wainwright, and Ben Warren as the only specialists on the right-hand side of the scrum.
Albeit Ospreys’ Rhys Henry and Dragons’ Chris Coleman have also been in with the Welsh set-up, the selection for who wears the three jersey is straightforward.
Lewis is by far the most experienced option to employ at tight-head this summer for fixtures against Fiji, Argentina, and South Africa. He’s already faced these challenging nations before.
On paper, he’s Wales’ fourth-best tight-head, but with the depth chart looking considerably thinner, Lewis is the best option here.
He’s the main protagonist within the front row this summer, and the natural loquacious prop is relishing the challenges ahead.
“I think it’s nothing I’ve never experienced before (being reliant on),” began Lewis, who last played for Wales in March 2024.
“I’ve started a Test in Argentina and started a Test in South Africa, like these things are not strange to me.
“So, I’m looking forward to that challenge again and having that opportunity of maybe playing some of those games.
“But in terms of that pressure, that’s not something I think too much of, and the likes of Ben and Sam, yes, they are inexperienced, but they’re incredible players, and they warranted a call-up
“I think it’s quite a good sort of environment amongst the front row at the moment, there’s constant conversations going on, and we can all help each other really, so I’m learning off them just as much, I hope they’ll be learning off me.
But this long wait for his international return had been unimaginable for many after his departure from club rugby in Wales in 2023.
He joined the Harlequins for two seasons and was still eligible to play for Wales, but wasn’t playing as often.
“The landscape of Welsh rugby the year I left was quite a difficult one from a point of view of the regions had to cut their budgets, and if you’re out of contract that year, you were quite unfortunate really,” added Lewis.
“So I was out of contract, but it was time where probably I needed a change, I needed a new environment, a new challenge and fortune the Quins gave me that.
“But it was a mixture of everything really, I was probably quite regular in the squads before leaving and then for a few different reasons when I left, I wasn’t.”
Lewis was not having much luck with selection, as was Jarrod Evans, who was at the club at the same time, but both players are involved in Tandy’s squad for the Nations Championship.
He made his full international debut in June 2017 against Tonga, but with injuries and a fall down the pecking order, the 57-time capped international should have more.
On whether he thought being selected again for Wales, Lewis said: “Two years and it’s been riddled with a few injuries as well, which hasn’t helped my case, but it was never something I gave up on.
“Coming home to Wales was a big driving factor in that, just trying to be in the shop window as much as possible and luckily picked up some form towards the end of the season.
“But it’s never something I closed the door on; it’s always something I aspired to get back into. There’s a lot of competition as well to make it even harder.
“It’s been amazing to come in and work with Steve.
“Going back to would I be picked again, you hear all the boys coming back into the clubs and speaking so highly in the environment and how much they enjoyed it.
“It’s tough to listen to, but it also spurs you on to try and get back up here, so I’ve loved being back in the environment, like you said, it’s a completely fresh, new coaching staff.
“Everything’s a bit different, new outlook on the game and culture methods and study, so I’ve loved it, and it’s been nice to get back in.”
Wales face the Baa-Baas at Allianz Stadium on Saturday, and Lewis is also looking forward to facing his Dragons teammate Elliot Dee.
“He will be in everyone’s ear trying to annoy them as he always does,” joked Lewis.
“It will be different playing against him for the first time in a while, but even more weird for him playing against Wales.”
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