Rio Dyer out of Wales squad with hamstring injury as Mac Page is called up
Wales have released Rio Dyer from their squad for the Nations Championship because of a hamstring injury. In his place, head coach Steve Tandy has called up Mac Page, an uncapped back from the Scarlets who has yet to play a Test match for his country.
Dyer picked up the injury while scoring for Wales' regional rivals, the Ospreys. A hamstring is the large muscle at the back of the thigh, and tears to it can keep players sidelined for weeks. BBC Sport reported that Dyer had been recalled by Tandy after a strong start to the season, which makes the setback a tough one. He has 24 Wales caps, the last of them against South Africa last autumn. A cap is an official appearance for the national side.
Page's route into the squad has been quicker than expected. He was left out of Tandy's first Nations Championship squad, which was named earlier this month. He then suffered a head injury playing for the Scarlets against the Stormers last Saturday, in Cape Town. Page scored his fifth try of the season in that match, so he was clearly in form before the knock. Head injuries are taken seriously in rugby, and players must pass checks before they return to play.
Page is a versatile back. He usually plays on the wing, the position out on the touchline, but he can also operate at outside centre, the inside-running position in the midfield. That flexibility may be part of the reason he was chosen. Wales also have experience of him in camp. He was part of the touring party to Japan in 2025 but did not play in any of those matches.
The Nations Championship is the autumn series of Test matches between the leading rugby union countries. Wales' first game is against Japan in Cardiff on Saturday 7 November. They then host New Zealand and Australia, two of the most demanding sides in the world.
For Page, the next few days will be about proving his fitness and getting up to speed with international rugby. For Dyer, the focus turns to recovery. Wales will be hoping both players are back to full fitness for the matches ahead.
