Wales' Regan Grace Set to Make Debut Against Queensland Reds

Strategic Insights -

Wales head coach Warren Gatland is gearing up to see former St Helens rugby league star Regan Grace make his Wales bow in the tour finale against Queensland Reds. Despite having only played two games of union since switching codes in 2022, Grace has impressed with his sharp and explosive play. Gatland is putting no pressure on the player, who has a storied rugby league career that saw him feature in three Grand Final-winning teams and score 89 tries for St Helens.

Key Takeaways:

  • Regan Grace, a former St Helens rugby league star, is set to make his Wales debut against Queensland Reds after only playing two games of union since switching codes in 2022.
  • Grace, who scored 89 tries for St Helens in his league career, has been recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon and a subsequent injury relapse.
  • Wales head coach Warren Gatland is putting no pressure on Grace, saying he will "enjoy it and see what he can do."
  • The Welsh team has made ten changes to its lineup for the game, with only five players remaining from the second Test defeat against Australia.
  • The match marks a significant opportunity for Grace to prove himself in rugby union, a code he is still relatively new to.
  • The Wales team is coming off a 2-0 series defeat against Australia and has not won a match since beating the Barbarians eight months ago.

Statistics:

  • Regan Grace scored 89 tries for St Helens during his league career.
  • He has played a total of two games of union since switching codes in 2022.
  • Wales head coach Warren Gatland has stated that he will not put pressure on Grace, saying "he has not played a lot of rugby since coming from league."
  • The Welsh team has made ten changes to its lineup for the game.
  • The match marks Wales' first non-cap fixture since beating the Barbarians eight months ago.
  • The Wales team has not won a match against Australia since 1991.

Sources:

  • Andrew Baldock, "Warren Gatland relishing Regan Grace's Wales debut against Queensland Reds" (exact link not provided)