Carre could be just the player Wales need... but the one they can't pick

Rhys Carre has been in superb form for Saracens but is captured by Welsh rugby's 25-cap rule

- STEFFAN THOMAS Rugby Correspondent

IN the lead up to last weekend's Gallagher Prem fixtures, most Welsh fans would have scanned both teams at the Stone X Stadium and concluded it was worth watching to see Louis Rees-Zammit in action.

While Rees-Zammit is certainly worth investing time in, arguably the most intriguing player involved in Saracens’ 50-17 annihilation of Bristol Bears was loosehead prop Rhys Carre.

The Saracens man was outstanding throughout and the Bears defence had very little answer to the 27-year-old’s explosive power.

He is a part of one of the most professional and ruthless environments in northern emisphere club rugby and is a significantly better player than the one which left Wales in 2024.

At one stage, Carre smashed his way through heavy traffic, brushing Bristol outside-half Tom Jordan to one side as if he were a rag doll.

"I think they used to say that’s 20 stone on the hoof," said former England prop David Flatman in the TNT Sports commentary team.

“He left 20 stone behind about a decade ago.

“That's about 23 stone on the hoof and he can move.

“That is very very powerful.

“Rhys Carre, despite his size, I would say as a prop forward he is selected for his work on the ball.

“He can scrummage and his scrummaging is getting better and better and better”

Flatman has just described exactly the type of forward Wales have been missing of late.