Gatland aims to solve Wales problem positions

Wales caput coach Warren Gatland says he hopes to lick nan problem positions of fly-half and tight-head prop aft naming Ben Thomas and Archie Griffin for nan first Test against Australia.

Both players will beryllium making their first world starts erstwhile they look nan Wallabies successful Sydney connected Saturday.

Thomas makes his first world quality since 2021 having been preferred to Sam Costelow successful nan number 10 shirt.

The 25-year-old plays astir of his nine rugby pinch Cardiff astatine inside-centre and only made 1 commencement astatine fly-half successful nan 2023-24 season.

Thomas will go nan sixth fly-half Gatland has utilized since he returned arsenic Wales caput coach successful 2022, aft he antecedently picked Dan Biggar, Owen Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Costelow and Ioan Lloyd.

With Biggar having retired and Anscombe unavailable this summertime aft a semipermanent groin injury, Gatland has now turned to Thomas.

"I've been impressed pinch him astatine Cardiff," said Gatland.

"The mates of games he's played there, he's looked comfortable astatine 10.

"He's a subordinate that has sewage clip connected nan ball. We cognize he's sewage immoderate activity to do. But it's a position wherever location isn't a immense magnitude of spot successful extent if we prime up injuries. With Ben, it conscionable gives america different option.

"He's sewage nan moving attributes and could tally a crippled for america astatine 10. He's looked comfortable for america during nan week."

Thomas will presume nan goal-kicking duties pinch Gatland admitting he has "no idea" really his caller fly-half will header pinch nan pressure.

"He's been moving difficult pinch Neil Jenkins (Wales kicking coach)," said Gatland.

"I'd opportunity there's astir apt others astir who, percentage-wise, are a small spot amended than wherever he is.

"But that's not what we're focusing connected astatine nan moment. We deliberation pinch his kicking crippled and nan magnitude of activity he does pinch Neil, he'll amended successful that area."

Thomas will person immoderate acquainted faces alongside him pinch Cardiff colleagues Ellis Bevan and Mason Grady starting astatine scrum-half and wrong centre, respectively.

Grady is besides being asked to play retired of position arsenic he wears nan number 12 jersey for only nan 2nd clip successful his master career, having started location against South Africa successful past month's 41-13 conclusion astatine Twickenham.

"With nan nine, 10 and 12 coming from Cardiff, hopefully those combinations will make a difference," said Gatland.

"We cognize Mason had a batch of his game-time connected nan helping astatine nan commencement of nan play and Cardiff moved him into nan centre later on.

"We're looking astatine him arsenic perchance a 12 option, peculiarly to get immoderate gainline worldly against defences that travel a batch harder and faster than astatine nine level.

"He's been good. We're seen a maturity successful him successful position of scanning, taking connected much work and talking. That comes pinch experience."

Wales are besides struggling to capable nan tight-head prop domiciled near by Tomas Francis, who has been missing since nan 2023 World Cup pursuing his move to French nine Provence.

Gatland insists Francis has not retired from world rugby but nan Wales coach is looking for a semipermanent successor.

Henry Thomas, Leon Brown and Keiron Assiratti were ruled retired of nan summertime done injury, while Dillon Lewis is not fresh for nan first Test.

This paves nan measurement for Bath prop Griffin who was calved successful Sydney but qualifies for Wales done his parents.

"It's 1 position we're astir apt nan astir exposed at," said Gatland.

"We conscionable haven't had a accordant tighthead who is playing week-in, week-out. The past 1 was astir apt Tomas Francis but we request to get personification connected nan section and create immoderate experience.

"Archie is explosive and technically excellent. Unfortunately successful nan Six Nations he picked up an wounded correct astatine nan start. It's bully to spot him backmost and we would conscionable for illustration to spot him play immoderate much rugby."

Griffin will look Australia's most-capped subordinate against James Slipper who will beryllium playing his 135th international.

"That's really you study your trade, it's a difficult one," said Gatland.

"I don't expect immoderate front-rows aliases tight forwards to beryllium immoderate bully until they're 27, 28 aliases 29. I cognize James Slipper is simply a small older than that and his grounds speaks for itself.

"With Tupou connected nan tighthead, they've astir apt thought that's 1 area they tin get an advantage and dominate."

Wales purpose to lick nan caller scrum problem positions they had against South Africa.

"It's decidedly been a attraction successful position of tightening it up this week," said Gatland.

"We can't run a crippled pinch our scrum being nether that benignant of pressure.

"I don't deliberation Archie will beryllium fazed, but it'll beryllium a learning curve for him. As an ex front-rower myself, things don't ever spell arsenic you expect."