The message in the Wales camp amid off-field uncertainty

Aaron Wainwright insists Wales players are focused on rugby and not the current crisis in the domestic game with jobs threatened by plans to cut one of the nation’s four regions.

The Welsh Rugby Union announced last month that it plans to lose one of its teams and grant three licences for men’s clubs – one for Cardiff, one in the east and one in the west – possibly as early as next season in 2026-27.

The bombshell announcement came on the eve of November’s Autumn Nations Series matches, with new head coach Steve Tandy having to deal with far bigger issues than team selection.

Tandy has said the “elephant in the room” cannot be avoided during Wales’ autumn build-up and the former Ospreys boss has encouraged players to talk about the turmoil facing the domestic game.

But Dragons back-rower Wainwright insists rugby politics or job security fears have not been on the players’ minds ahead of Sunday’s clash with Argentina in Cardiff on Sunday.

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“We haven’t really spoken about that (cutting a region) coming in to camp,” said Wainwright, the 2024 Wales player of the year and first home-based player to discuss the situation publicly since captain Jac Morgan addressed the media last week.

“The message has been, ‘Let’s concentrate on the rugby, concentrate on what we can control’.

“Going forward over the next couple of weeks, if we can put in some good performances in, the stuff off the field will take care of itself.

“We’ve got a fresh coaching group and our target has been to get our heads around the next couple of weeks and really focus on the rugby.

“If we get our heads around that, and focus on our jobs come Sunday, then we’ll be in a good place to go forward.”

Wainwright was part of the Wales team that ended an 18-game losing run – the longest of any Tier One nation – by beating Japan 31-22 in Kobe four months ago.

Wales open their autumn campaign against Argentina – ranked sixth in the world rankings and six places above them – before visits from Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.

Wainwright said: “They’re a very emotional side, very emotionally charged. It’s going to be a big physical contest and we’ve spoken a lot this week about imposing our game.

“It’s a chance to get back at home, playing in front of a full crowd at the Principality Stadium. That’s the carrot dangling in front of everyone.

“A lot of the boys in this campaign were in Japan, and it’s about using that momentum and taking it into the autumn.

“It definitely feels there’s some confidence in training, and having no fear in the way that we’re playing.

“I know it’s a little bit different in training to playing in international games, but it’s a chance to build a new identity and hopefully that starts to come through.”