Wales have spent two years muddling about with their fly-halves amid a 17-Test losing run, but could this summer change that?
Fly-half has always been a position that Welsh rugby has struggled to get to grips with.
As the late Eddie Butler once said: “Wales and the No. 10 shirt have an almost unhealthily close relationship. The vulnerability of little facing big, the chance to strut: it’s Wales all over.” It’s a position that we adore, one that – perhaps more than any other – has contributed to the wider culture in Wales over the years, but that brings a unique pressure with it, too.
Many are called, but few are chosen.
Those who have worn the jersey know that only too well. Barry John walked away from the spotlight at 27, while Phil Bennett was dropped by the Big Five.
Gareth Davies was left out for ‘A. N. Other’, while Jonathan Davies went north after growing frustrated with Welsh rugby.
Countless others have had their battles with the slings and arrows in the years since, be it Neil Jenkins, Stephen Jones, James Hook or Dan Biggar. Never is the path of a Welsh fly-half a smooth one.
Two years ago, Biggar decided his own time in the jersey was at an end. Scarlets fly-half Sam Costelow was anointed his successor, both with Biggar’s beloved laundry duty, but also as Wales’ next fly-half moving forward.
All the talk towards the end of the 2023 World Cup was how Costelow – having been a eye-catching talent both with the U20s and as part of the Scarlets’ run to the Challenge Cup semi-finals that year – would be Wales’ long-term 10 following Biggar’s emotional farewell.
That farewell came sooner than they’d hoped, with a quarter-final defeat to Argentina brutally ending Biggar’s Test career. A late intercept from Costelow only served to knock his confidence ahead of taking on the starting jersey full-time.
Since then, it’s felt like Costelow has always been on the back-foot. His first start AB – After Biggar – saw Wales get their tactics all wrong against Scotland in the 2024 Six Nations opener.
While the coaches insisted privately the mindset was to play running rugby, they ended up falling into conservative patterns as they fell to a 27-0 deficit at half-time.
Costelow was replaced by Ioan Lloyd and Wales nearly pulled off a remarkable comeback. One game into the Costelow era and already the jersey was no longer his, with Lloyd starting the next game at Twickenham.
Costelow won it back for the remaining games against Ireland, France and Italy, before starting the summer Test against South Africa in London.
However, once in Australia, Ben Thomas – despite playing the vast majority of his rugby for Cardiff in midfield – was Warren Gatland’s 10. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
Then, in the autumn, Gareth Anscombe was the man in possession of the jersey, with Costelow handed a start at the end of the campaign – when Wales were already starting down the barrel of a winless calendar year – against the world champions, South Africa.
As a first full year in Test rugby goes, it was tough on the young Scarlet. Injury kept him out of the Six Nations – perhaps a blessing in disguise as Wales slumped to another successive wooden spoon – but now he travels to Japan this summer as one of two fly-halves.
The other, Ospreys playmaker Dan Edwards, has been on the Test scene for a considerably shorter period of time than Costelow, but has his own frustrating experiences too.
Named in the Six Nations squad, he was called from the bench in the final throes of Gatland’s miserable second stint – being asked to turn the tide against France and Italy away from home. The likes of John, Bennett and Jiffy would have struggled in those circumstances.
When Gatland left and was replaced by Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt, Anscombe was handed a recall along with Jarrod Evans – meaning Edwards didn’t see another minute of action in the Six Nations.
All of which leads us onto this summer. The fact that the pair are Wales’ only out-and-out 10s – not forgetting Thomas can cover the position – means minutes are essentially guaranteed for both.
After two years of experimenting and wandering around without direction with the fly-half position, this tour of Japan could be the time where Wales take a meaningful step forward.
Sherratt – once again in interim charge for the summer – spoke last week of wanting to leave the next Wales head coach with something to build upon.
With no senior fly-half in the squad, there’ll at least be some meaningful answers when it comes to the fly-half position.
For two years, Costelow has been slowly drained of his confidence, with the ailing fortunes of the men’s national team occasionally laid at his door. Injuries haven’t helped, either.
And yet, as you look at the Scarlets’ late-season ascent into the United Rugby Championship play-offs, Dwayne Peel’s side are undeniably a better side when it is Costelow pulling the strings.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the transition can be made to becoming a reliable presence on the Test scene, but the truth is – even when detractors want to make the judgement off a half of rugby here or there – is that he’s not had enough time in the saddle to decide that fact.
Japan this summer, with its early morning UK kick-off times that are already competing with the Lions tour, doesn’t bring the same glare that Costelow’s other appearances have brought.
He can get on with two Tests against the Brave Blossoms, just trying to stamp his mark on the Test game.
Judgements can come later on whether Costelow is Wales’ next fly-half, but just getting his confidence back at that level is what you hope this summer will bring.
As for Edwards, there’s a natural swagger to the 22-year-old. What he needs is game time.
That should come this July in Kitakyushu and Kobe.
It could just be that, in the months ahead, both of Wales’ fly-halves get exactly what they need from the trip to Japan.
