Wales players line up for the anthem against Barbarians
George North captured attention with his two-try performance for the Barbarians at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham on Saturday. As North prepares to retire, Wales head coach Steve Tandy is concentrating on preparations for the upcoming Nations Championship.
The 33-31 win for Wales took place in a stadium that was less than a quarter full, but Tandy's primary focus remains on the on-field performance. Wales will begin their tournament against Fiji at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday at 14:10 BST.
So what insights did Tandy gain from Wales' first match since the Six Nations concluded?
Was it a worthwhile exercise?
Tandy valued the opportunity to provide competitive minutes for his squad, many of whom had not played since mid-May. He was pleased to see Dewi Lake, Jac Morgan, and Teddy Williams return from injury and plans to announce a reduced squad for the Nations Championship on Tuesday.
Lake retained the captaincy despite Morgan's return, and he appeared strong during his first 40-minute appearance since the Six Nations. Number eight Aaron Wainwright delivered a player-of-the-match performance, while full-back Blair Murray showed promising attacking skills, particularly in the second half.
Tandy will have 13 players based in English and French clubs available for the upcoming game, including Tomos Williams, Louis Rees-Zammit, Rhys Carre, Nicky Smith, Dafydd Jenkins, and Adam Beard.
Reasons for concern
Wales' scrum remains an area of concern, with the Barbarians earning several set-piece penalties. Former international prop Paul James has joined as the new scrum coach.
Gareth Thomas started against the Barbarians, but Carre and Smith are expected to return at loose-head. Uncapped Cardiff prop Rhys Barratt impressed during his replacement appearance.
The tight-head position continues to pose challenges, as Tomas Francis is resting for the summer, and Archie Griffin and Keiron Assiratti are sidelined with injuries. Lewis returned to start after a two-year absence and is joined by Sam Wainwright and Ben Warren, though collectively they have only nine professional starts in the 2025-26 season.
New defence coach Peter Murchie oversaw his first game, which saw Wales concede five tries. Murchie was likely unsettled when North broke through two weak tackles by Dan Edwards and Ellis Mee to score with his first touch.
Sparse stadium
Two of the three tiers at the Allianz Stadium at Twickenham were closed for the Wales v Barbarians double header.
North's performance was a highlight, but it was unfortunate that he played before a nearly empty stadium. Watching top-level internationals in such a setting was unusual and gave a sense of desperation. No official attendance was announced, though pre-match ticket sales were estimated between 15,000 and 20,000.
The double-header took place in the 82,000-capacity stadium, with the Barbarians hosting and Wales designated as the away team.
Wales had not planned to play in June or July at the Principality Stadium, which has not hosted an early summer international for five years. The venue was scheduled to host a Metallica concert the following day.
The true test of interest in Welsh rugby and the new World Rugby tournament will occur this Saturday when Fiji and Wales meet in Cardiff. Due to a rugby quirk, Fiji will be the home side despite being over 10,000 miles from Suva.
No matches are scheduled to take place in Fiji during the tournament; their home games against England and Scotland will be held in Liverpool and Edinburgh respectively.
Ticket sales for the Fiji-Wales match have reportedly been slow, and Fiji is responsible for marketing the game as the 'hosts'.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) may cite this as a factor but should not use it as an excuse. The WRU has a responsibility to its players to maximize attendance at the 33,000-capacity stadium.
This is the only chance for the Welsh public to see their team play in Cardiff this summer, and the governing body must actively promote the event. A repeat of the low turnout seen last week at Twickenham would be detrimental to all involved.
Are Barbarians still relevant in modern era?
The Barbarians played Wales after suffering an 80-31 defeat to South Africa.
Several factors may explain the low attendance and limited engagement with summer rugby, including high temperatures and the football World Cup. Twickenham has recently been the Barbarians' summer home, and matches have drawn crowds when facing South Africa or New Zealand due to large expatriate communities. However, whether the experiment of hosting Wales in southwest London will be repeated remains uncertain.
Barbarians coach Scott Robertson was asked if he had expected a larger crowd.
"It was hot," said Robertson. "I am not sure how to answer that. It's not a question for us, sorry. We entertained who was here, that's what we did."
The Barbarians continuously strive to maintain their place in professional rugby, with president John Spencer acknowledging the organization's protective stance.
Players and coaches who have experienced the Barbarians emphasize the invitational side's unique qualities.
"It is unique," said Robertson. "You're playing with and coaching players you've revered and never think you're going to be a part of something like this. Then you become mates for life in a short period of time and the fans come and love to watch. It is critical for our environment as a rugby fraternity."
North expressed confidence in the Barbarians' future.
"It's a special club and you have to be invited to play for them," said North. "I've played for a long time and only now had the offer. It's special to meet new boys coming into the team at the start of their careers and players who have been around for a while from other countries."
Fiji waiting in the wings in Wales
Fiji arrived in Wales last Thursday and will spend nine days preparing for their opening match.
Former Fiji coach Gareth Baber, who led the nation to Sevens gold at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, visited some of his former players.
"They were singing and dancing around the gymnasium as they normally do," Baber told the Scrum V podcast. "They look happy and connected and that is a warning sign for me. They have threats all over the place. They have big, physical technically-minded individuals who have been at the top of the game for a while now."
Former Wales hooker Scott Baldwin commented on the upcoming match.
"I am nervous for this weekend. When you look at the talent they have assembled in the squad, it's frightening."
