Basham named at No.8 for Wales as Wainwright ruled out for Nations Championship clash with New Zealand
Taine Basham will start at number eight for Wales in their Nations Championship match against New Zealand on Saturday, 14 November, after Aaron Wainwright was ruled out with injury, coach Steve Tandy confirmed. Tandy made four changes to the starting XV for the fixture.
Basham will start his first international in four years as he replaces the injured Aaron Wainwright, with James Botham selected ahead of Cardiff flanker Alex Mann and Jac Morgan completing the back row. Leicester wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb is preferred to Josh Adams on the wing and Adam Beard comes in for Ben Carter, representing four alterations to the side named by Tandy. Sale prop Tomas Francis has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign by injury, with Cardiff tight-head Keiron Assiratti called into the squad.
Wainwright, the Leicester back rower, has been Wales’ most effective forward ball-carrier in recent times but picked up a minor calf injury against Japan and has spent the week in a protective boot as he battles to be fit against Australia. Basham was recalled after impressing for Cardiff; his previous Wales appearance was as a replacement in the 2024 Six Nations against England and his last international start was in the 2022 tournament against the same opposition. It is only his second Test start at number eight.
"I'm delighted that Taine gets an opportunity this weekend," said Tandy. "It's been a while since his last appearance for Wales but he didn't give up and has put in a lot of dedication and hard work to get back. "The way he's been playing for Cardiff has been great and I'm excited to see him go on Saturday."
Hamer-Webb will win his second cap after starting the Six Nations defeat against Scotland in February; the 26-year-old has been in fine form for his club, having scored a hat-trick against Saracens in the Premiership. Josh Adams, 31, who scored two tries and produced a turnover in the 28-21 victory against Japan, is omitted after having made only one start for Cardiff prior to that match.
Beard, 30, will win his 69th cap after playing for his French club Montpellier last weekend. Wales are looking to improve the line-out after losing six on their own throw against Japan, and Adam Beard previously toured with the British and Irish Lions in 2021.
Wales have not beaten New Zealand since 1953, with the All Blacks having won the past 34 matches and scoring more than 50 points on their three previous trips to Cardiff; New Zealand resumed their Nations Championship campaign with a 43-21 victory against Scotland in Edinburgh last weekend. "We're excited for the opportunity we have against New Zealand," said Tandy. "It was good to get the win last Saturday, but some elements of our execution weren't where we wanted. "We have to go up another level this weekend and be more ruthless. We have one of the best teams in the world coming. "We want to be better and put in an 80-minute performance."
Wales team: Murray; Rees-Zammit, E James, Llewellyn, Hamer-Webb; Costelow, Tomos Williams; N Smith, Lake (capt), Griffin, D Jenkins, Beard, Botham, Morgan, Basham. Replacements: Elias, G Thomas, D Lewis, Carter, Plumtree, Morgan-Williams, Edwards, Hennessey. The match kicks off on Saturday at 14:10 GMT.