Six Nations 2024: Dragons flanker Taine Basham only Wales player released to regions
- Published
Dragons flanker Taine Basham has played 17 internationals for Wales
Dragons flanker Taine Basham is the only player who has been released from the Wales squad to play for one of the four Welsh regions in the United Rugby Championship this weekend.
Dragons have a back-row injury crisis, with Basham's return giving them three specialists for their trip to Ulster.
No Scarlets, Cardiff or Ospreys have been made available.
Wales will lose England-based Dafydd Jenkins, Nick Tompkins, Tommy Reffell and Dillon Lewis, plus Will Rowlands.
Jenkins, Tompkins, Reffell and Lewis will not play this weekend because there is no league action but World Rugby regulations stop them from training with Wales all week.
Lock Rowlands' club, Racing 92, play Bordeaux Begles in the French top 14 on Saturday.
Scarlets trio Gareth Davies, Kemsley Mathias and Joe Roberts, Cardiff forwards Seb Davies, Teddy Williams and Evan Lloyd and Ospreys centre Owen Watkin were not involved in the matchday 23 that lost 31-7 to Ireland last weekend in Dublin.
Dragons duo Leon Brown and Cai Evans have been struggling with injuries, while Cardiff lock Davies has a slight back problem.
Ospreys travel to play Edinburgh on Friday night, while Dragons go to Ulster the following day.
Also on Saturday, Scarlets face a trip to Connacht and Cardiff host Leinster.
"We are disappointed because we could have those players back," said Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel.
"We are missing nine guys with Wales and four or five injuries on top of that to key players. To have 13 or 14 players unavailable is a loss.
"Wales have felt they wanted to keep their players together and have training numbers.
"We saw Joe (Roberts) play well last week when he came back for the Munster game as did Kemsley (Mathias).
"I can't do much about it as they're (Wales) in control of that, but I'd like to have more players back."
Wales want to keep 28 players training with the national squad before the final two Six Nations matches.
Wales, who have lost their three games in this year's tournament and suffered 10 defeats in the last 11 Six Nations games, host France on 10 March with Italy visiting Cardiff six days later.
'Good to have Basham back'
Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan welcomed Basham's return and says the back rower needs games.
"It's been a stop-start season for him since he came back from the World Cup with little injuries and then suspension," said Flanagan.
"He is a young man and we need to support him and back him, giving him the opportunity to show the world what he can do because you don't get man-of-the-match for Wales against New Zealand if you are not very good.
"Taine has the ability to do stuff that no other back rower in Wales can. He can break a line, offload, carry, he is powerful and gets a lot of turnovers with rips.
"His biggest asset for us needs to be his consistency, and we need to see that this weekend.
"He has had a good block with Wales and has worked extremely hard. Everybody knows, Wales build themselves around one thing and that is hard work.
"We are looking forward to seeing him come back, put our jersey on and work hard for our group."
Basham is out of contract at the end of the season.
"Things are ongoing but you can see from the smile on my face how much I enjoy working with Taine," said Flanagan.
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