Steve Tandy: 'It’ll be good for Josh to get a bit of a break'

Wales boss Steve Tandy believes Saturday’s game against New Zealand is a “great opportunity” for Gabriel Hamer-Webb.

The sides meet in the Nations Championship in Cardiff this weekend and Tandy has made four changes to the Wales squad from last Saturday’s win over Japan.

Taine Basham starts at number eight in place of Aaron Wainwright, who is unavailable due to a minor calf injury, and James Botham and Adam Beard have both been handed starts.

Hamer-Webb comes in for Josh Adams, who scored two tries in the Japan victory and Tandy revealed that selection for the wing “was close” last weekend.

“It’s always that plan to rotate, especially in the autumn whereas Six Nations you are probably going to be more what the team is,” Tandy said.

“There’s opportunities and again you also look at the boys coming back, where they’ve been. He went back the weekend before and played, coming back from injury, so it’s just having an awareness and ultimately creating an opportunity. It’ll be good for Josh to get a bit of a break this weekend and just train.

“It gives Gabe an unbelievable opportunity which, in fairness last weekend the selection was close. You look at the wingers, you’ve got Ellis Mee as well who’s played unbelievably well for us, started really well for Scarlets. It’s a great opportunity for Gabe this weekend.”

Hamer-Webb has only been capped once for Wales in their Six Nations loss to Scotland earlier this year, but Tandy has been pleased with his form at Leicester.

“I think the way he’s gone to Leicester, you look at (Adam) Radwan and (Ollie) Hassell-Collins have been in real form, he’s broken into that,” Tandy added.

“I think his intent around his chase, the growth in the recovery. What he has I think he thoroughly deserves this opportunity.”