'Time to create memories with Wales' as Tandy makes four changes for Scotland
Tandy’s excellent work with Scotland earned him a place on the coaching staff for the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa in 2021
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Wales head coach Steve Tandy has opted to make four changes to his side ahead of Saturday's Six Nations clash against Scotland in Cardiff.
At fly-half, Scarlets’ Sam Costelow will make his first start for Wales since the summer of 2025.
Costelow, 25, hasn’t started for the national side since their 24-19 loss to Japan last July, while there is a first cap for Leicester Tigers wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb.
Elsewhere, Dragons lock Ben Carter and Scarlets flanker Taine Plumtree are in line for their first starts of the tournament.
Freddie Thomas, James Botham, and Blair Murray are set to make their first appearances of the championship from the bench, while Dan Edwards and lock Adam Beard have both been dropped from the matchday squad.
No different to any other game as Tandy faces former coaching group
This weekend, Tandy will be plotting the downfall of his former side, having worked alongside Gregor Townsend for six years.
The former defence coach joined Scotland ahead of the 2020 Six Nations and was later selected on the coaching staff for the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa in 2021.
But friendships will be set aside for 80 minutes on Saturday as Wales aim to avoid an 11th consecutive home defeat in the Six Nations.
"I think every game is emotional, but I’ve got a lot of friends and a lot of the [Scotland] players have gone through a lot with six years coaching them,” said Tandy.
"Seeing them become the team they are is really pleasing. Seeing them last week beat England was always good!
"For me, it’ll be a huge game, but it’s no different to any other game. We want to win, we want to put a performance in and it’ll be a special day because, as I said, there are lots of amazing memories from Scotland, but we’re ready to create memories for us in Wales now."
With the new Six Nations format, teams will have played three matches in consecutive weeks. The Welsh head coach admitted that the short six-day turnaround following their Round 2 loss to France had influenced his selection decisions.
Tandy was also considering how best to approach a Scotland team that claimed the Calcutta Cup last weekend.
“It’s a short turnaround, so that’s what we’re basing it on," Tandy said. "There are a couple of things that when you play Scotland, you look at some of the bench, the mobility piece. We feel the ball-in-play time will be high.
"The game will get chaotic, so we’ve gone for probably a little bit more of a mobile team."
Hamer-Webb in line for debut
When Gabriel Hamer-Webb left Cardiff for Gallagher Prem side Leicester Tigers at the end of the 2024/25 season, many assumed his chances of a Wales call-up were over, despite some impressive form for the Blue and Blacks.
But the former Bath winger, who played age-grade rugby for England, will now get his chance to run out at the Principality Stadium this weekend.
“We feel Gabe can add something to the group for this week that we want to play Scotland,” said Tandy.
“The way Gabe has come in and trained, I think his performances for Leicester as well, when we were looking at him, were outstanding.
“And looking into his background in Leicester, when he wasn’t in the team, how hard he’s worked and how diligent he’s been since he’s come into the environment has been excellent."
Ospreys fly-half Edwards has been left out of the matchday 23, despite starting Wales’ last seven internationals, but Tandy insisted there was no issue behind the decision to omit the 22-year-old.
"I think Dan's been good,” admitted Tandy.
"I think he was excellent in the autumn and there have been some big games since. We didn't really get a game going against England either and again, I feel Dan's played a lot of rugby. He's still a young man.
"There are no issues with Dan. We feel this is a reward for how [Sam's] played, how he's responded to not being in the autumn.
"Then some of the [Scarlets'] games, I thought the way he attacked the game against Ulster, the back end of the game when they were down, I thought was outstanding.
“Ultimately for us to be better and grow ourselves as a team, we need more competition. I believe we're starting to get a bit of competition in that area, which is exciting for us.”
Scottish backs will look to keep ball in play
Following last Saturday’s Calcutta Cup victory, Scotland will arrive in Cardiff on a high and will be eager to head into the fallow week with two wins from three.
Tandy’s opposite number Townsend has made five changes to the team that beat England 31-20, including the return of Blair Kinghorn and Duhan van der Merwe in the backs.
The Wales boss admitted that the visitors will look to keep the ball in hand and make full use of their dangerous backline.
"They’ll want to keep the ball,” said Tandy. "They won’t want to give it away. They’ll try to test you.
"They’ll look to score points, but also build pressure through holding the ball and bringing Finn [Russell] into the game. His short kicking game [is excellent] and it’s built a lot around the centres as well.
"That combination is pretty hot and probably one of the best in the world, so they’ll build that game by holding the ball.
Tandy was also full of praise for fly-half Russell, who was instrumental in Scotland's victory against England.
"He was brilliant to work with and an amazing character,” added Tandy. "I loved working with him. You see stuff in training that was pretty special, and you realise that you could have everything perfect, but then he could pull a rabbit out of the hat."
Wales: Rees-Zammit; Hamer-Webb, James, Hawkins, Adams; Costelow, T Williams; Carre, Lake (capt), Francis, Jenkins, Carter, Plumtree, Mann, Wainwright.
Replacements: Elias, Smith, Griffin, F Thomas, Botham, Hardy, J Evans, Murray.
Scotland: Blair Kinghorn, Kyle Steyn, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu (capt), Duhan van der Merwe, Finn Russell, Ben White; Nathan McBeth, Dave Cherry, Zander Fagerson, Max Williamson, Scott Cummings, Gregor Brown, Rory Darge, Matt Fagerson.
Replacements: George Turner, Pierre Schoeman, Elliot Millar Mills, Grant Gilchrist, Josh Bayliss, George Horne, Tom Jordan, Darcy Graham.
