Steve Tandy may have to shuffle his pack, with one of his key performers a doubt for the Test against New Zealand

Wales have been dealt a major injury blow, with Aaron Wainwright a doubt for Saturday's clash with the All Blacks.

As such, Taine Basham is in line for his first Wales start in four-and-a-half years, having last been part of a Wales walk-on side during the 2022 Six Nations. The Cardiff back-row has started the season in fine form, leading to a Wales recall this autumn.

Losing Wainwright is a big blow for Steve Tandy, with the No. 8 having been a constant in his side since taking over.

The Leicester Tigers back-row has started 10 of Tandy's 13 Test matches in charge, including the last seven in a row.

However, having missed last year's visit of New Zealand to Cardiff with a hip injury, the former Dragons No. 8 is set to miss out again.

The 29-year-old was understood to be wearing a protective boot at the start of this week.

Wainwright has played New Zealand just once in his career to date, in 2021.

Basham has not played for Wales since the 2024 Six Nations, having been involved under Warren Gatland - winning six caps as a replacement across the 2023 World Cup and following Six Nations.

Since then, the 27-year-old has not featured in a Wales squad. However, his form towards the end of last season - starting this campaign in a similar vein - has been impossible to ignore.

He had initially broke into Wayne Pivac's side in 2021, making appearances off the bench against Canada and Argentina that summer.

He was then, coincidentally, thrown in to start against New Zealand that autumn - wearing the seven jersey in the same back-row as Wainwright.

The young back-row impressed with his carrying that day.

About that match, he said recently: "There were a lot of injuries, so I thought, 'Oh, I'm shafted here, just thrown into the deep end, and see how we go on.' That New Zealand game, I didn't think, I just did and played."

Basham has started once at No. 8 before for Wales, albeit in a back-row of traditional opensides - named in the role against Fiji in the autumn of 2021 alongside Ellis Jenkins and Thomas Young.

"I pride myself on my ball carrying," said Basham recently. "Obviously the other stuff to be playing international rugby, your nuts and bolts need to be perfect as well, but I never really want to lose sight of my ball carrying."