2017 Wales rugby union tour of Tonga and Samoa

With head coach Warren Gatland leading the British & Irish Lions on their tour to New Zealand, assisted by Wales attack coach Rob Howley,^[2] forwards coach Robin McBryde was named as coach for the tour to Tonga and Samoa, just as he had been in previous Lions years in 2009 and 2013.^[3] In December 2016, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) were reported to have approached Ospreys and Cardiff Blues head coaches Steve Tandy and Danny Wilson, and Scarlets backs coach Stephen Jones about supplementing McBryde's coaching staff.^[4] Wilson and Jones were appointed, along with Blues attack coach Matt Sherratt,^[5] but Wilson and Jones withdrew before the tour due to club commitments.^[6][7]

The Lions squad included 12 senior Wales players, resulting in 12 uncapped players being named in the 32-man squad for the tour, which was captained by centre Jamie Roberts.^[8] Ospreys lock Bradley Davies missed the tour due to the impending birth of his second child,^[9] while 38-cap veteran hooker Richard Hibbard was also omitted,^[10] and prop Gethin Jenkins missed the tour after undergoing knee surgery.^[11] Wing Steff Evans' place on the tour was put into doubt when he was sent off in the Scarlets' win over Munster in the Pro12 semi-finals;^[12] however, the red card was rescinded and he was cleared to play.^[13] Full-back Rhun Williams suffered an ankle injury in the Cardiff Blues' European Champions Cup qualifying match against Stade Français;^[14] he was subsequently replaced in the squad by Exeter Chiefs full-back Phil Dollman,^[15] only for Dollman to injure his knee in Exeter's win over Wasps in the English Premiership final on 27 May.^[16] The Scarlets' Rhys Patchell was called up to the training squad while Dollman's injury was assessed,^[17] before Dollman eventually pulled out on 5 June.^[18] Forward James King was injured in the Ospreys' loss to Munster in the Pro12 play-off semi-finals and replaced in the squad by Scarlets flanker Aaron Shingler.^[19] Shingler's teammates, props Samson Lee (knee) and Rob Evans (hand), and lock Jake Ball (shoulder), also pulled out due to injury; Ball missed the Pro12 final against Munster due to his injury, while Lee and Evans were injured during the match.^[17][20] Evans was replaced in the squad by Ospreys prop Gareth Thomas, while fellow Osprey Rhodri Jones joined the training squad as Lee's injury was assessed,^[17] before finally replacing Lee on 5 June.^[18] Four of the Wales squad – Tomas Francis, Kristian Dacey, Cory Hill and Gareth Davies – were called up to play for the Lions midway through the tour.^[21]

Wales scheduled a two-test tour for summer 2017, in which they would play against Tonga and Samoa. The second match was scheduled for the Samoan capital, Apia, but the facilities in Tonga led World Rugby to name Auckland, New Zealand, as a contingency venue.^[22] Renovations of the Teufaiva Sport Stadium in Nukuʻalofa were expected to be completed in June 2017, but not in time for the Wales game. An assessment of the facilities in Tonga took place in December 2016,^[23] but with the pitch not yet in place, the WRU met with World Rugby to further discuss the contingency of moving the fixture to New Zealand.^[24] In February 2017, the uncertainty over the readiness of the new stadium meant it was confirmed that the game would not be played in Tonga,^[25] and in May 2017, the game was officially moved to Auckland, to be played on 16 June, a day earlier than originally scheduled.^[26]

As part of a six-day training camp in North Wales ahead of the tour, Wales played an uncapped friendly against 2016–17 WRU National Cup winners RGC 1404 at Eirias Stadium in Colwyn Bay. Five uncapped players were named in the starting XV: Adam Beard, Seb Davies, Ollie Griffiths, Aled Davies and Keelan Giles.^[27] Wales scored 14 tries, including hat-tricks from Cory Allen and Tyler Morgan, braces from Ellis Jenkins, Alex Cuthbert and Thomas Young, and one each from Jamie Roberts and Gareth Anscombe, to claim an 88–19 win.^[28]

2 June 2017

RGC 1404	19–88	Wales XV
Try: Bagshaw 21' m Hughes 31' c Yardley 39' c Con: Botica (2) 32', 40'	Report Timeline Squads	Try: Jenkins (2) 4' m, 14' c Allen (3) 8' c, 16' c, 68' m Morgan (3) 18' c, 29' c, 40+2' c Roberts 34' c Cuthbert (2) 41' m, 80' c Anscombe 47' m Young (2) 60' m, 76' c Con: Anscombe (7/9) 9', 15', 17', 20', 30', 35', 40+3' O. Williams (2/5) 76', 80'

Eirias Stadium, Colwyn Bay Referee: Ian Davies

Team details

FB 15 Afon Bagshaw  53' RW 14 Carwyn ap Myrddin OC 13 Tom Hughes  74' IC 12 Tiaan Loots LW 11 Rhys Williams FH 10 Jacob Botica  51' SH 9 Efan Jones  51'  74' N8 8 Huw Worthington  41' OF 7 Mei Parry BF 6 Tim Grey RL 5 Andrew Williams (c)  55' LL 4 Sean Lonsdale TP 3 Sam Wainwright  51' HK 2 Evan Yardley  41' LP 1 Joe Simpson  61' Replacements: 16 Rhys Williams  41' 17 Curtis Reynolds  61' 18 Ross Davies  51' 19 Robin Williams  55' 20 Will Bryan  41' 21 Cam Davies  51' 22 Billy McBryde  51' 23 Dion Jones  53' 24 Jordan Scott 25 George Roberts 26 Josh Leach 27 Bryn Edwards 28 Ianto Pari 29 Harri Evans 30 Sam Jones 31 Richard Hopkins 32 Tom Seddon Coach: Mark Jones FB 32 Gareth Anscombe  64' RW 29 Keelan Giles  41' OC 27 Tyler Morgan IC 24 Jamie Roberts (c)  40' LW 25 Cory Allen FH 22 Sam Davies  41' SH 21 Aled Davies  41' N8 16 Ollie Griffiths  41' OF 17 Ellis Jenkins  58' BF 14 Seb Davies  58' RL 11 Cory Hill  41' LL 10 Adam Beard TP 4 Tomas Francis  33' HK 6 Kristian Dacey  33' LP 1 Nicky Smith  33' Replacements: PR 2 Dillon Lewis  33' PR 3 Wyn Jones  33'  66' PR 5 Rhodri Jones PR 33 Gareth Thomas  66' HK 7 Scott Baldwin  66' HK 8 Ryan Elias  33'  66' HK 9 Scott Otten LK 12 Rory Thornton  41' FL 13 Josh Navidi  41' FL 15 Aaron Shingler  58' FL 18 Thomas Young  58' SH 19 Gareth Davies SH 20 Tomos Williams  70'  41' FH 23 Owen Williams  40' CE 26 Scott Williams WG 28 Alex Cuthbert  41' WG 30 Steff Evans  64' FB 31 Rhys Patchell  41' Coach: Robin McBryde

Wales' first match on tour was against Tonga, played at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, due to the facilities in Nukuʻalofa not being ready in time for the match. Coach Robin McBryde named three uncapped players in his starting XV – lock Seb Davies, flanker Thomas Young and wing Steff Evans – while a further six were named on the bench.^[29] Fly-half Sam Davies opened the scoring with a penalty, before Alex Cuthbert scored the first try of the game midway through the first half, though Davies missed the conversion. Sonatane Takulua responded with a penalty for Tonga, but despite Davies hitting the post with two more kicks, Wales took an 8–3 lead into half-time. Another Takulua penalty three minutes into the second half cut the Tonga deficit to two points, but three more penalties from Sam Davies pushed Wales out to a 17–6 lead before a last-minute penalty try gave them a 24–6 win.^[30]

16 June 2017

Tonga	6–24	Wales
Pen: Takulua (2/4) 22', 43'	Report	Try: Cuthbert 18' m Penalty try 79' Pen: S. Davies (4/6) 2', 51', 67', 77'

Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 26,129 Referee: Nick Briant (New Zealand)

FB 15 David Halaifonua RW 14 Nafi Tuitavake  70' OC 13 Siale Piutau (c) IC 12 Viliami Tahituʻa  59' LW 11 Cooper Vuna FH 10 Latiume Fosita SH 9 Sonatane Takulua  77' N8 8 Valentino Mapapalangi OF 7 Nili Latu  74' BF 6 Daniel Faleafa RL 5 Steve Mafi LL 4 Leva Fifita TP 3 Ben Tameifuna  56' HK 2 Paul Ngauamo LP 1 Latu Talakai  58' Replacements: HK 16 Suliasi Taufalele PR 17 Sila Puafisi  56' PR 18 Phil Kite  58' FL 19 Sione Tau FL 20 Michael Faleafa  74' SH 21 Leon Fukofuka  77' FH 22 Kali Hala  59' WG 23 Kiti Taimani Vaini  70' Coach: Toutai Kefu

FB 15 Gareth Anscombe RW 14 Alex Cuthbert  40' OC 13 Scott Williams  58'  67' IC 12 Jamie Roberts (c) LW 11 Steff Evans FH 10 Sam Davies SH 9 Gareth Davies N8 8 Josh Navidi  78' OF 7 Thomas Young  58' BF 6 Aaron Shingler RL 5 Cory Hill LL 4 Seb Davies TP 3 Tomas Francis  78' HK 2 Kristian Dacey  58' LP 1 Nicky Smith  78' Replacements: HK 16 Ryan Elias  58' PR 17 Wyn Jones  78' PR 18 Dillon Lewis  78' FL 19 Ellis Jenkins  58' FL 20 Ollie Griffiths  78' SH 21 Aled Davies  70' FH 22 Owen Williams  58'  67' CE 23 Cory Allen  40' Coach: Robin McBryde

Wales' second and final match on tour saw them face Samoa in Apia. The home side had lost 78–0 to New Zealand the previous week, in the second match of a double-header at Eden Park, following Wales' win over Tonga.^[31] With Tomas Francis, Kristian Dacey, Cory Hill and Gareth Davies called up to the British & Irish Lions' squad, and Alex Cuthbert injured in the win over Tonga, coach Robin McBryde was forced into making seven changes from that side. Dillon Lewis, Ryan Elias, Rory Thornton and Aled Davies replaced the Lions call-ups, while Cory Allen replaced Cuthbert; Tyler Morgan came in for centre Scott Williams, while Ellis Jenkins took over from openside flanker Thomas Young in the two unforced changes. Meanwhile, Samoa made six changes from the team that lost to New Zealand.^[32]

Ten of the Wales team fell ill before the match,^[33] and they went behind early thanks to a try from Alapati Leiua, converted by Tusi Pisi, who also kicked a penalty; in response, Sam Davies kicked three penalties for Wales to ensure they went into half-time only a point down. Steff Evans' try just after the break put Wales into the lead for the first time in the match, but Manu Leiataua's try meant the lead lasted just 10 minutes; however, Evans scored another try – his second in as many international appearances – eight minutes from the end to give Wales a 19–17 win, their first in Samoa for 31 years.^[34]

23 June 2017

Samoa	17–19	Wales
Try: Leiua 3' c Leiataua 52' Con: Pisi (2/2) 4', 53' Pen: Pisi (1/2) 9'	Report	Try: S. Evans (2) 41' m, 73' m Pen: S. Davies (3/4) 12', 19', 37'

Apia Park, Apia Attendance: 5,167 Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)

FB 15 D'Angelo Leuila RW 14 Alapati Leiua OC 13 Kieron Fonotia IC 12 Rey Lee-Lo LW 11 David Lemi (c)  75' FH 10 Tusi Pisi SH 9 Kahn Fotuali'i N8 8 Alafoti Fa'osiliva  48' OF 7 Galu Taufale  59' BF 6 Piula Faʻasalele RL 5 Fa'atiga Lemalu LL 4 Chris Vui TP 3 Paul Alo-Emile  77' HK 2 Manu Leiataua  68' LP 1 Viliamu Afatia  59' Replacements: HK 16 Seilala Lam  68' PR 17 Nephi Leatigaga  59' PR 18 Bronson Tauakipulu  77' FL 19 Faifili Levave  48' N8 20 Sanele Vavae Tuilagi  59' SH 21 Dwayne Polataivao CE 22 Henry Taefu FH 23 Tila Mealoi  75' Coach: Alama Ieremia

FB 15 Gareth Anscombe RW 14 Cory Allen OC 13 Tyler Morgan  59' IC 12 Jamie Roberts (c) LW 11 Steff Evans FH 10 Sam Davies SH 9 Aled Davies N8 8 Josh Navidi OF 7 Ellis Jenkins BF 6 Aaron Shingler  64' RL 5 Rory Thornton LL 4 Seb Davies  48' TP 3 Dillon Lewis  64' HK 2 Ryan Elias  56' LP 1 Nicky Smith  56' Replacements: HK 16 Scott Baldwin  56' PR 17 Wyn Jones  56' PR 18 Rhodri Jones  64' LK 19 Adam Beard  48' FL 20 Thomas Young  64' SH 21 Tomos Williams FH 22 Owen Williams CE 23 Scott Williams  59' Coach: Robin McBryde