Tandy keeps faith with LRZ returns and front

STEVE Tandy has not overreacted to last Sunday's heavy 52-28 defeat to Argentina in Cardiff.

- Steffan Thomas

It would have been easy for the new Wales head coach to make wholesale changes but Tandy has opted to tinker with the side rather than wield the axe.

There are four personnel changes in the starting XV with one enforced due to the campaign-ending injury suffered by his outstanding captain Jac Morgan.

But what does this latest selection tell us about Tandy's Wales who simply must beat Japan to ensure a more favourable World Cup draw next month?

Tandy has faith in the game-plan and his main playmaker

IF Tandy had made significant changes it would have been a case of starting all over again so it would be sensible to stick rather than twist too much.

There was a clear identity to this Wales side who wanted to play with pace and put width on the ball.

Inside centre Ben Thomas did not have his best game against Argentina and he has come in for some flak on social media but the Cardiff playmaker is integral to the way Wales want to attack under Tandy.

There were errors in his game last weekend and he was lucky to escape a red card for kicking out at Argentina captain Pablo Matera on the floor.

But ultimately Thomas did what he was supposed to do: get the ball away quickly to put players into space.

They also have a relatively inexperienced outside-half in 22-year-old Dan Edwards so Thomas is helpful to the Ospreys man in that sense.

Wales played off 12 last weekend and while Thomas does need to improve his performance he will be a key player in Tandy's squad moving forward.

There were good moments in Wales' game last weekend and while the scoreboard never lies the negatives are fixable.

Wales missed 30 tackles which is far too high at this level, while there were a number of sloppy individual errors throughout which handed the momentum back to the Pumas.