Wales will be able to call on Holmes and Moriarty next month as they wrestle with the conundrum of how to beat Australia, their World Cup pool rivals in Japan next year, who have won the past 13 Tests between the countries.
Australia are the second of Wales’s four opponents at the Millennium Stadium in November. While the Gloucester back-row Ross Moriarty, a Lion in New Zealand last year, has become a fixture in the squad, the Leicester full-back Jonah Holmes was the surprise name when coach Warren Gatland named his 37-strong squad.
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At the age of 26, Holmes’s club career is still waiting for liftoff. He spent four years at Wasps from 2010 as a scrum-half but made only 15 appearances. He was loaned out to Rosslyn Park, Henley Hawks and London Welsh before dropping down a division with Yorkshire Carnegie where he remained until last season.
He joined Leicester and made five starts in the Premiership, scoring six tries on the wing. He has made three appearances this season, the last two at full-back, and it was his performance against Northampton at Twickenham earlier this month that prompted Wales to inquire whether Holmes would like to take advantage of having a Welsh grandparent.
“Jonah has been on the list compiled by the Welsh Exiles since 2016,” Gatland said. “His form for Leicester has been outstanding and he beat an impressive number of players during the victory over Northampton. He can play full-back or wing and he is quick as well as being big and physical.
“I rang him last week, first to confirm that he was qualified to play for Wales. The last thing you want is to pick someone who is not eligible, which unfortunately has happened in the past. Then it was about gauging his interest and he was keen. He nearly signed for the Scarlets a few years ago. He wanted to come to Wales but the move fell through.”
Holmes is one of two uncapped players. The other is Ospreys’ wing Luke Morgan, who made his name on the Sevens circuit after making one appearance for the region in 2011. He rejoined this season and has scored four tries in five matches.
“We want to create depth in the back three,”Gatland said. “Luke has probably been Wales’s best Sevens player and that format equips players well defensively. He is quick and given the injuries we have suffered at full-back and on the wing over the years, it is important we develop strength there.”
Wales will be led by the 117-cap Alun Wyn Jones; the No 8 Taulupe Faletau and the flanker Aaron Shingler are among eight players unavailable through injury, while the scrum-half Rhys Webb was unavailable having turned down a regional contract to join Toulon.
In addition, the fly-half Rhys Patchell will be monitored after suffering a second concussion of the season. “We are concerned about him,” Gatland said. “Player welfare is most important for us and while he is going to come in with us, we might not play him this campaign. If he gets another knock he would probably have to take the rest of the season off to get himself right.”
Wales start their programme with a match outside the official international window against Scotland, which will rule out their five players based in England, before facing Australia, Tonga and South Africa.
“We are looking to use the autumn to prepare for the Six Nations but will not be taking anyone lightly and we are aiming to win every game,” Gatland said.