Jiffy: Why absent star Tom Bowen deserves call-up

JONATHAN ‘Jiffy’ Davies thinks Welsh starlet Tom Bowen deserves to be in the Wales squad.

- DYLAN JAMES Sport Reporter [e-mail]

Jonathan Davies

The Cardiff Rugby youngster has been in electric form this season with a hat-trick against Munster his highlight moment this campaign.

Tandy named his 39-player squad for the upcoming autumn internationals last week with five uncapped players included in the collective.

Brodie Coghlan, James Fender, Morgan Morse, Danny Southworth and Louie Hennessey were those given the opportunity this time around but there was no place for Bowen this time.

Speaking on the latest episode of ‘Beefy & Beaumont’ with cricket legend Sir Ian Botham and rugby icon Sir Bill Beaumont, Davies touched on the absence of Bowen.

Beaumont had addressed the form of two wingers - Noah Caluori and Bowen - with all three noting the former’s sheer height after impressing with five tries in one game for Saracens, which has now earned him an England call-up.

“Tom Bowen - he is the total opposite,” explained Davies. “He’s about 4ft 2in! But what he does is beat people. With Wales when you had Shane (Williams), he had that little bit extra, beat that first line of defence and then you get quick ball and then there is space out wide. Maybe even now I think Tom Bowen deserves to get into the national side.