Tommy Reffell: Leicester flanker misses out on Six Nations selection to Welsh-based rivals

Tommy Reffell, from Pencoed, is a former Wales Under-20 captain

Wales head coach Wayne Pivac says playing club rugby in England counted against Leicester flanker Tommy Reffell after he missed out on the 2022 Six Nations squad.

Reffell has been impressive in a dominant Leicester side this season but fellow uncapped openside flanker Jac Morgan has been preferred.

"Tommy Reffell was in the discussions along with Jac, while an injury has kept James Botham out of the early part of the competition," Pivac told the BBC Scrum V podcast.

World Rugby regulations mean English-based players have to return to their clubs on fallow weekends during the tournament and also miss some of the opening week of training.

"You look at a guy, where is he going to sit in the squad, is he there for learning and developing and possibly some game-time," added Pivac.

"The guys who are coming and going from England, they don't get the same opportunity.

"Our statistics would say 25% of the training is what the guys from England get to perform if they are going back each week.

"That can count against a guy in a close call and that's certainly what's happened on this occasion."

With British and Irish Lions flankers Justin Tipuric and Josh Navidi ruled out of the tournament, Pivac has handed Morgan a chance to impress.

"From Jac's point of view we know he has a high work-rate and [is] good over the ball," added Pivac.

"Now it's around his physicality, winning the collisions, and about what he is doing in the wider channels where often we would have our seven running.

"I have spoken to him, he is excited and looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity."

Dragons flanker Taine Basham will be favourite to wear the Wales number seven jersey against Ireland in the tournament opener in Dublin on 5 February.

Basham, 22, started all four autumn internationals against New Zealand, South Africa Fiji and Australia in a breakthrough campaign.

"When we look at Taine, he has runs on the board at Test level against quality opposition and that counts for a lot," added Pivac.

"Club form is one thing but it is about having the ability to step up to the next level. We look at the skillsets and what they bring.

"At Test level one of the different things is the physicality required to play and Taine brings that physical edge.

"He is still developing and the challenge is to keep his feet on the ground, work hard and dominate the position."

Meanwhile, Wasps flanker Thomas Young was not available for Wales' Six Nations squad selection due to the Welsh Rugby Union's 60-cap rule.

Young was picked for the 2021 autumn series after Pivac had been granted special dispensation following a back-row injury crisis.

The WRU introduced a policy in 2017 called the Senior Player Selection Policy (SPSP) that deemed if you committed to playing for a club outside of Wales and had fewer than 60 international caps, you were ineligible for the national side.

Dispensations are decided by the Professional Rugby Board (PRB), which runs the professional game in Wales and is made up of representatives of the regions and WRU.

In October 2021 it was announced that Young, who has won four Wales caps, was joining Cardiff next season and he was allowed to play in the autumn when he featured against Fiji.

Pivac did not seek a dispensation this time around, despite being without injured Lions back-rowers Tipuric, Navidi and Taulupe Faletau.

Wales have been boosted by Basham's emergence, the revival of Ellis Jenkins, Morgan's potential and the expected return of Ross Moriarty and Dan Lydiate.