Steve Tandy names his first Wales XV to face Argentina on Friday
18:33, 06 Nov 2025Updated 18:44, 06 Nov 2025
Wales winger Louis Rees-Zammit(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)
Louis Rees-Zammit has missed out on a place in the Wales starting XV against Argentina on Sunday, but Rhys Carre is set for an instant return after his Test exile of more than two years.
It’s understood the 24-year-old winger is pushing for a place on the bench but still had ‘boxes to tick’ as the week progressed to prove his fitness after the foot injury that has kept him out for the past month.
It is believed Rees-Zammit was put through a fitness test on Thursday afternoon.
Carre is set to make his first Wales Test appearance in nearly three years, with the Saracens loosehead in line to start against the Pumas.
The powerful prop’s last appearance for Wales came in the 2023 Six Nations, before being frozen out by Warren Gatland during his ill-fated second stint in charge of Wales.
Gatland left the job earlier this year, after 14 straight defeats – started by their last meeting with Los Pumas in the 2023 World Cup quarter-final.
Steve Tandy has now replaced him, with Argentina this weekend marking his first match in charge. Carre – initially thought to be captured by the 25-cap rule after leaving Wales – was the headline news from Tandy’s first squad.
The 27-year-old’s last cap was against England in 2023, with his last start coming against Fiji the previous year.
Despite Wales declaring him fit this week, there’s no immediate return to the starting line-up for Rees-Zammit. Instead, Tandy is set to keep the same back-three from Wales’ win over Japan in Kobe this summer.
However, the wing – whose last cap for Wales prior to heading to the NFL was against Argentina in 2023 – could still feature on the bench this Sunday.
Elsewhere, Ben Thomas and Max Llewellyn – who started the last three matches of the Six Nations earlier this year – are reunited in midfield.
Dan Edwards retains the 10 jersey from the summer, being paired with Tomos Williams – with the scrum-half back in a Welsh jersey after his Lions tour was cut short by injury.
In the front-row, Carre is set to be joined by Dewi Lake and Keiron Assiratti.
Dafydd Jenkins and Adam Beard, having both missed the summer tour, line up in the second-row.
Alex Mann and Aaron Wainwright keep their places from the win over Japan, being joined by captain Jac Morgan after his Lions exploits Down Under this summer.
Possible Wales XV to face Argentina: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas, Josh Adams; Dan Edwards, Tomos Williams; Rhys Carre, Dewi Lake, Keiron Assiratti, Dafydd Jenkins, Adam Beard, Alex Mann, Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Liam Belcher, Nicky Smith, Archie Griffin, Freddie Thomas, Taine Plumtree, Kieran Hardy, Callum Sheedy, Louis Rees-Zammit.
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