Taine Basham will get his second crack at international rugby this weekend

With Aaron Wainwright set to miss Saturday’s clash with New Zealand, Taine Basham looks poised to get his chance to make a statement on the biggest stage.

Steve Tandy’s task is not simply to select his three best back-row forwards, but to find the right blend of power, physicality and mobility to go toe-to-toe with the All Blacks.

The Cardiff forward has been knocking on the international door for a while and could offer Wales exactly the qualities they would lose without Wainwright.

One of Wales’ biggest shortcomings over the past 12 months, and certainly in last Saturday’s victory over Japan, has been a lack of explosive ball-carriers capable of consistently breaking the gainline and making metres after contact.

Basham offers exactly that. He is a powerful, dynamic carrier who can bring a physical edge to Wales’ back row and give them a point of difference in attack.

The 26-year-old has won the last of his 17 Wales caps against England in 2024, but his form for Cardiff over the past year has put him firmly back in the international conversation.

It is easy to forget the excitement Basham generated in 2021, when he announced himself as one of Welsh rugby’s brightest prospects during the autumn internationals against New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.

His performances against three of the world’s leading sides marked him out as a player with a huge future.

He underlined that potential by claiming the player-of-the-match award in Wales’ dramatic 29-28 victory over Australia.

Basham’s ability has never been in doubt, but his progress subsequently stalled.

He made too many errors and disciplinary lapses threatened to undermine the considerable talent he possessed but he has fixed this problem and they are no longer an issue.

His move from the Dragons to Cardiff in the summer of 2025 has proved a turning point.

He has made the No 8 jersey his own, regularly featuring among the leading performers for tackles, carries and turnovers. His discipline, too, has improved considerably.

Perhaps most importantly, Basham remains a player capable of producing something out of nothing.

He has a natural instinct for the big moment, bringing an attacking threat and unpredictability that can change the course of a game.

That ability to inject pace and power into an attack, break tackles and shift momentum is precisely what Wales have been missing.

If Wainwright is out Basham should start at No 8 and if the Leicester Tigers No 8 proves his fitness then at the very least he needs to be on the bench as an impact player.

The balance of Wales’ back row will be crucial to their chances of competing with New Zealand. Alex Mann’s inclusion at blindside flanker has attracted criticism from some supporters, particularly those who question whether he has the size to match the more imposing international No 6s.

There is a legitimate argument for selecting a bigger blindside against the All Blacks. However, Mann’s value lies in what he brings to the combination with Jac Morgan and Wainwright.

He is an exceptionally hard-working forward who takes enormous pride in the less glamorous aspects of the game.

His performance against Japan was a case in point, making 20 tackles and winning three turnovers, more than any other player on either side.

That appetite for the hard yards allows Morgan and Wainwright greater freedom to carry the ball in wider channels and offer a more direct attacking threat.

It is a balance that Tandy clearly values, but there are alternative options who could offer Wales something different against the All Blacks.

James Botham is another physically imposing back-row forward, but he has a little more size than Mann and offers a greater carrying threat.

His ability to get over the gainline could be particularly valuable against a New Zealand side that pride themselves on dominating the contact area.

The All Blacks possess formidable physicality across their pack, but also have athletic forwards such as Tupou Vaa’i capable of covering huge amounts of ground. Wales will need a back row that can cope with both sides of that threat.

That could bring Taine Plumtree into the equation. The Scarlets forward has the athleticism to match New Zealand's mobility and is an accomplished lineout operator, an area in which Wales struggled badly against Japan.

Tandy could also consider giving Kane James a place on the bench. The Exeter Chiefs forward is an energetic, explosive ball-carrier with an impressive skillset and the potential to make a significant impact in the final quarter.