The Forgotten Welsh International Who Should Be in Steve Tandy’s Summer Plans 

Despite a Six Nations that saw a third consecutive wooden spoon, performances began to look encouraging this time around. New faces have emerged under Tandy, and experienced players have returned.

Opportunities are being handed out across the squad, and with the inaugural Nations Championship and an uncapped fixture against the Barbarians on the horizon, Wales can not afford to take a backward step.

But among all the discussions surrounding what is next for Wales under Tandy, one player has slipped from the conversation of being called upon entirely. Christ Tshiunza.

A player who comes from humble beginnings, to facing the All Blacks, and modelling for Burberry. Born in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tshiunza only moved to Wales in 2010, where he lived in a one-bedroom apartment with his French-speaking family.

Now he's one of the Gallagher PREM top performers and one of the most notable names not playing for Wales this summer. It's been some journey. The sort of story that one day should be told in an autobiography.

It was not that long ago that Tshiunza was regarded as one of the jewels of Wales’ future success. His versatility in playing in the second row and back row, his athleticism, and his size are all the ingredients Wales are crying out for in their pack.

During the Six Nations, a number of players who have had questionable outings in the Welsh jersey have grown substantially. Look no further than Tshiunza’s Exeter Chiefs’ counterpart Dafydd Jenkins. He is without doubt one of Wales' sparkling jewels and is now a cornerstone of the national side.

If you rewind to last April, Exeter Chiefs suffered an historic 79-17 defeat against Gloucester Rugby at Kingsholm, their heaviest defeat in the top flight.

Tshiunza wasn’t involved that day, but he was a part of a Chiefs side that had its worst Gallagher Premiership campaign, finishing ninth. They managed just four victories across the entire campaign and suffered six straight defeats.

But, with the humiliation well in the rear view mirror for the Devon side, on Saturday afternoon, they claimed their spot in the PREM play-off final against Northampton Saints.

They came from 16 points behind to secure a narrow and dramatic 27-26 victory at the Rec to book themselves a spot at Allianz Stadium on Saturday (KO: 3:00 PM). It was a remarkable turnaround that stunned Bath and their boisterous faithful, who were in despair at the full-time whistle.

This was perhaps because of the frustration that Santi Carreras did not opt for the drop-goal.

One player who has not been met with criticism is blind-side Tshiunza, who has found impressive form of late for the Sandy Park outfit and brilliantly scored his first try of the season.

With Wales head coach Tandy selecting an extended 48-man training squad, you do feel like perhaps the form of the 24-year-old warranted him a call-up. He last played for Wales against South Africa in 2024, and that autumn campaign came after playing back-to-back games in Australia.

He started both of those games in the second row, but throughout this remarkable season with Exeter, he has only been utilised in the back row. And that raises the question of why he hasn’t received a call-up.

Tshiunza has played at blind-side for Wales in the past against both Scotland and England in the Six Nations, but for large parts of his 15 caps, he has been in the second row. If truth be told, he wasn’t flourishing and looked at times out of his depth when playing for Wales.

That isn’t the case anymore for Tshiunza. The confidence that he lacked on the international stage is nowhere to be seen in the PREM, where he is flourishing. Following Saturday’s final in south-west London, Tshiunza will move to Sale Sharks, and this could be a significant move.

Sale’s director of rugby, Alex Sanderson, stated that he is a player who has his best days ahead of him. There’s a much-needed point to make here. Wales simply cannot afford to discard talent; they haven’t got that luxury.

Given the current state of Welsh rugby, you would expect this to encourage the likes of Tandy to utilise players with the highest long-term potential. The 2027 Rugby World Cup is coming into view, and Tshiunza falls into that category of players who should not be ignored.

There’s another point to make here: the board must determine whether he is actually eligible to play for Wales. The ludicrous 25-cap rule comes into play here. With only 15 caps and the move to Sale, he falls under this ruling.

It’s a real shame. This controversial ruling leaves a stain on Welsh rugby. The excitement that he showcased at the Rec last Saturday would have brought real excitement to Wales this summer.

For those wanting him within the Welsh set-up, you would hope to hear the news of Tshiunza receiving a competitive offer, or it may be a situation like Harlequins’ Jarrod Evans again. That may be the best-case scenario.

Wales are looking for players who are difference-makers, and if he continues this impressive form, he will be hard to ignore.