Double Injury Woe Strikes Sam Costelow as Wales Seeks Solutions for Number 10 Jersey
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In a significant setback, Sam Costelow, the Scarlets fly-half, is now facing an injury lay-off after sustaining damage to both his shoulder and hamstring. This unfortunate turn of events occurred during Wales’ 49-26 victory over Barbarians in Cardiff last Saturday. Costelow’s double injury has sent both his club and the national team in search of alternatives to fill the number 10 jersey.
Wales’ head coach, Warren Gatland, has been exploring various options, including the possibility of converting scrum-half Tomos Williams into a fly-half. This decision has become imperative as Costelow was initially considered the immediate successor to the fly-half position following the retirement of Dan Biggar and Gareth Anscombe’s departure to Japan.
The 22-year-old Costelow had shown promise with his first Test start during the summer friendlies against England and South Africa, featuring in four out of Wales’ five games at the World Cup. However, during the Barbarians match, he displayed visible discomfort when scoring Wales’ third try just before half-time, ultimately not emerging for the second half.
Dwayne Peel, the head coach of Scarlets, expressed his concern for Sam Costelow, describing him as one of their key players. Peel mentioned receiving a message from Costelow, indicating significant discomfort due to both shoulder and hamstring injuries, leaving the team anxiously awaiting scan results.
Gatland finds himself in a challenging position, having lost several contenders for the Wales number ten jersey in recent months. Notably, World Cup players Dan Biggar and Gareth Anscombe, as well as Rhys Patchell, Joe Hawkins, and Jarrod Evans, have all become ineligible for selection after moving to clubs outside of Wales. Additionally, Rhys Priestland’s departure from Cardiff has further narrowed the options.
Tomos Williams, who plays for Cardiff, was pressed into action as a makeshift fly-half for the last ten minutes against Barbarians. Gatland revealed that this move had been considered even before the World Cup, with Williams impressing in the role. His comfort on the ball, decision-making, passing, and spatial awareness earned him praise. While not confirmed, this potential shift is now part of discussions to enhance depth and coverage in certain positions.
Gatland is on a quest to find more options for the fly-half position. He plans to scout talents such as Callum Sheedy from Bristol, Dragons’ youngster Will Reed, and encourages Cardiff to provide an opportunity for center Ben Thomas in the position. Meanwhile, Dwayne Peel highlighted the potential of Ioan Lloyd, who contributed significantly to Scarlets’ 31-25 win over Cardiff, emphasizing his growth and control in the number 10 position.
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