Wales have been dealt an injury blow with tighthead prop Keiron Assiratti ruled out of the summer fixtures. Assiratti suffered a calf injury during Cardiff's United Rugby Championship semi-final defeat to the Stormers a couple of weeks ago.
Replacement Options
Uncapped Ospreys tighthead Rhys Henry has been training with the squad but at this stage Wales have not officially called up a replacement. This is a significant blow to Wales' chances this summer, with the experienced Tomas Francis rested and Bath prop Archie Griffin undergoing elective surgery this summer.
Assiratti's Development
Assiratti has quietly developed into an international-quality tighthead and was one of Wales' better players during the autumn but also missed the Six Nations due to injury. Wales face the Barbarians in an uncapped fixture at Allianz Stadium Twickenham on Saturday, June 27, before the start of the inaugural Nations Championship where they will take on Fiji at Cardiff City Stadium before travelling to Argentina and South Africa.
Scrum Concerns
Tighthead prop has long been an area of grave concern in Wales with a lack of strength in depth. With Assiratti out, 57-cap Dragons tighthead Dillon Lewis will surely be Steve Tandy's first choice despite having not played for Wales since March 2024. Uncapped Ospreys prop Ben Warren and Cardiff's Sam Wainwright are the other options in the squad. There are worries Wales could get exposed at the scrum, especially against Argentina in Santa Fe and world champions South Africa in Durban.
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