Wales consider Plumtree for shock World Cup call

Wales head coach Warren Gatland is contemplating new Scarlets signing Taine Plumtree for the World Cup.

Born in Swansea, the 23-year-old is the son of ex-Swansea head coach and All Blacks assistant John Plumtree.

Gatland takes his squad to Switzerland on Monday for 2 weeks with Plumtree now in line to affix them.

Any shock call-up for Plumtree would come only a week after his signing to join Scarlets next season.

He represented New Zealand on the 2019 World Rugby U20 Championship, the place he performed in opposition to Wales, however has not been capped at senior degree.

He went on to make his Tremendous Rugby debut for the Blues in 2021 and has continued to impress for Wellington, together with a hat-trick of tries in opposition to Northland.

The 6ft 5in again flanker, who can play throughout the again row, was not named in Gatland’s unique 54-man squad in Could.

Nevertheless, Plumtree would supply an additional possibility for this autumn’s World Cup, with Justin Tipuric and Josh Navidi having retired from worldwide rugby and Ross Moriarty and Josh Macleod additionally each unavailable.

Gatland’s squad already contains Taine Basham, Dan Lydiate, Jac Morgan, Tommy Reffell, Aaron Wainwright, Taulupe Faletau and Christ Tshiunza.

There are 47 gamers within the prolonged coaching group although solely 44 are set to journey to Fiesch for France 2023 preparations.

Faletau is predicted to affix the squad for the second week within the Alps as he recovers from a calf harm, whereas wing Alex Cuthbert and fly-half Owen Williams are lacking for private causes.

Wales may also journey to Turkey later this month forward of warm-up video games in opposition to England and South Africa.

Gatland’s facet open their World Cup marketing campaign in opposition to Fiji on 10 September.