Jackson column: A back-row conundrum that even has Sam Warburton scratching his head

By Peter Jackson
Since Sam Warburton made his last stand in the Six Nations 18 months ago, Wales have tried no fewer than nine different back row combinations. Even the All Blacks would be hard pushed to match the quality of the assembly lines that have brought a total of 16 Welsh loose forwards into Test combat over the course of 14 international engagements starting with the Auckland double against Tonga and Samoa last summer.
The list includes one of truly global stature in the incomparable Taulupe Faletau alongside two other Test Lions, Dan Lydiate in the throes of fighting his way back from long-term injury and Justin Tipuric, still to nail down an automatic place, incredibly so given the breadth of his sumptuous skills.
The rest, almost without exception, have ample reason for believing their international careers are only just beginning, a prospect that applies most strikingly to the youngest member of the back row brigade, Aaron Wainwright. A 20-year-old homegrown Dragon, he made the quantum leap from under-age football with Newport County to a Test debut in Argentina three months ago.
The wider debate over the chosen trio post-Warburton starting against Scotland in November tends to be divided on strictly tribal lines, more so in Wales than elsewhere. Ospreys’ fans demand that the No 7 jersey goes to Tipuric, just as those of Blue persuasion in the capital back Ellis Jenkins and the Scarlet hordes vote for their man, James Davies.
Now that Warburton has removed himself from the equation, Wales still have outstanding sevens coming out of their ears, most of whom would walk into the England team as a heaven-sent answer to the absence of a Red Rose specialist openside good enough to make the position his own.

English observers will not be surprised to learn that the Welsh have another flanker whose potential has never been questioned but who has become somewhat neglected of late. Ollie Griffiths –who returned for the Dragons at No.8 last week – is overdue a fair wind and given one over the first two months of the season who’s to say he won’t force his way into the squad for the Autumn series?
As it stands, Griffiths’ Test match career has been restricted to not much more than 90 seconds, as a last-minute substitute against Tonga 15 months ago. He would almost certainly have made the cut for the Autumn matches last year had he not been chinned by a Russian during the Dragons’ Challenge Cup expedition to Moscow.
A broken jaw cleared the way for the Sevens specialist Sam Cross to move up the pecking order and make his first and, to date, only start, against Georgia. Fate then played another trick on Griffiths, an ankle injury eliminating him from consideration for the Six Nations’ support squad.
If the 23-year-old stays in one piece, the competition for Warburton’s jersey will be more than a three-horse race between Tipuric, Jenkins and James Davies. Thomas Young, barely seen on national service since his debut last year, cannot be ignored even if Wales give the impression of doing their level best in that respect.
Pressed on BT Sport to pick his Wales back row, the retired Lions’ captain went for his fellow Cardiff Blue Jenkins on the blindside, Tipuric on the open and Faletau at eight. Josh Navidi, who rattled the All Blacks on his way to being elected the Welsh player of the season, will have something to say about that.
Wales have chosen a different starting back row for five of their last six internationals from Ireland in Dublin last February to Argentina in San Juan.
They have literally been at sixes and sevens, as reflected in a summary of the selections during the time Warburton spent trying to repair the damage of so many batterings.

Picked at No 6:

Aaron Shingler, Dan Lydiate, Seb Davies, Josh Turnbull, Aaron Wainwright.

Picked at No 7:

Thomas Young, Ellis Jenkins, Justin Tipuric, Ollie Griffiths, Sam Cross, James Davies.

Picked at No 8:

Josh Navidi, Taulupe Faletau, Ross Moriarty.
Shingler’s long-term recovery from a knee reconstruction meant there had been one vacancy on the blindside of the back row before Warburton’s wise decision to call it quits confirmed there would be one on the other side of the scrum to boot.
Lydiate, a Test Lion in his own right and automatic choice at blindside for Wales until successive injuries cleared the way for Shingler, made his Ospreys’ come-back on Friday night on what he hopes will be the first step towards another World Cup.
At the same time some 40 miles away in Cardiff his back row partner over the best part of ten years took a final curtain call at the Arms Park during half-time in the Blues’ home opener against Leinster Reserves.
As Warburton bade farewell, the youngest contender was preparing to audition for the vacancy. And nobody needs to tell Ollie Griffiths about the occupational hazards of the position.

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