Davies expects Macs Page to win Wales debut after late call-up
Scarlets director of rugby Nigel Davies said on 30 October 2026 that 21-year-old Macs Page, who has been drafted into Wales' squad as injury cover, is likely to make his Wales debut "sooner rather than later" following a late international call-up that replaces injured Dragons wing Rio Dyer.
Page, who made his Scarlets debut in 2024 and previously toured Japan with Wales in 2025, has scored five tries in the opening phase of the 2026-27 season and is approaching fifty appearances for the region; he began his career at outside centre but has been used on the wing for Scarlets.
The Crymych RFC product was withdrawn with a head knock after Scarlets' 52-40 defeat by the Stormers last weekend when he collided head-first with the turf while attempting to score what would have been his sixth try of the campaign; he was helped from the pitch with oxygen in Cape Town and returned to light training before leaving South Africa to join Wales.
On Page's condition Davies said: "Macs did have a nasty knock, but it wasn't as bad as it looked when he left the pitch with two guys holding his neck," Davies said. "That was just protocol which had to happen. He has been managed very well. He did a bit of light training before he left, and he was feeling fine."
Davies declared the call-up deserved and highlighted Wales' selection choices, saying: "It's fully deserved. He's a special player, and I think we will see him play for Wales sooner rather than later, personally." He added: "From a Welsh perspective, they have got quite a few positive selection dilemmas where more than one or two players are putting their hands up. I think that's a really positive position to be in. They initially selected the players who fit their profile, but Macs couldn't have been too far away."
Page has joined Scarlets team-mates Blair Murray and Ellis Mee as a back-three option for Steve Tandy alongside Louis Rees-Zammit, Tom Rogers, Josh Adams and Gabriel Hamer-Webb, and is one of eight Wales players who will miss Scarlets' United Rugby Championship game at Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday (15:00 GMT); Scarlets prop Domachowski returns for the Bulls match and Welsh-qualified Isaac Murray-Macgregor will make his first start against the Bulls, who are unbeaten at home this season.
On the club's wider priorities Davies said: "I tell our coaches all the time that our job is to perform, to win games and develop Welsh international rugby players." He noted the squad balance when "seven or eight players going into the Wales camp" has an effect, adding: "It gives opportunities to the other guys, and the way everybody responded last week was pretty much fantastic. Yes, we've pretty much got a full backline missing, but we've also got a competent backline here who are more than competitive."
Fly-half Sam Costelow's involvement with Wales has opened the door for teenager Carwyn Leggatt-Jones to start a second consecutive fixture in South Africa; the 18-year-old, who signed his first professional contract in July, converted five times during his first start of the campaign against the Stormers and retains his place at number 10. On Leggatt-Jones Davies said: "Carwyn is great. I haven't seen a 10 come through like him in a few years. He's very confident in his own ability, which is brilliant," he said. "He doesn't carry much anxiety and has a lot of belief in himself, which you need to have in his position. "He [led the team] with aplomb [against Stormers]. Those experiences are only going to improve him. It's how these young men get better."
Wales return to Nations Championship action next month with home fixtures against Japan, New Zealand and Australia before meeting a southern hemisphere opponent on finals weekend at Twickenham, and Page could make his maiden Wales appearance against the Cherry Blossoms on Saturday, 7 November after avoiding a serious injury.
