The latest rugby stories making headlines

These are your headlines on the morning of Wednesday, October 21.

Tandy open to Wright selection

Wales head coach Steve Tandy says he is open to picking Liam Wright at some point in the future.

Wright, who has been capped six times for Australia while also skippering his side, signed for the Ospreys this summer.

The 28-year-old has a grandfather from Pembroke and will become eligible next summer after a three-year stand down period since last playing for the Wallabies.

Supporters have made their feelings clear over the flanker after his impressive start to life with the Swansea-based side.

And Tandy, although keeping his cards close to his chest, says he'd be open to bringing in Wright and players of his calibre.

"No, I haven't spoken, I'm aware of it all," he said of Wright's possible eligibility on BBC Scrum V.

"We are always aware of people who could potentially play for Wales. We are open to that and at the end of the day he's a real talented individual at the highest level then like I said, we'd rule no-one out of the mix."

Having been born in Durban, the early years of Wright's life were spent in South Africa before his family made the move to Sydney when he was seven.

"My family history isn't that well-known to me," he previously told WalesOnline. "My dad's dad passed recently and we probably left a few stories there (in South Africa).

"But once then process started to go a bit further ahead, that's when I really only learned that my grandpa was from Pembroke, as were his parents.

"So that wasn't a factor in the decision, but I think it's just really cool. It's something my fiancée and I have been talking about where it's just almost meant to happen in a way.

"My last game for Australia was against Wales. The history with my family and my dad's dad there as well, so I think it just shows that this is everything lining up nicely. Without getting too up in the stars about all that stuff, I just think it shows that it's going to be a great experience for us."

On his Welsh qualification, he added: "That's something I only found out when I was talking to the media team about the release. I said, 'Yeah, I've just kind of learned about my Welsh heritage,' and then once that came out, you saw everyone jump onto that. It's not something I've really considered.

"Having been in an international setup, I know how much it takes to get into there and to really put your performances forward, so it's something I'll just work hard towards. I think being out of the game a little bit, you realize how much needs to go into the performance.

"So thinking about getting too far ahead of yourself with being back in international setups, whether that's Wales or Australia, it's not something I think is really appropriate to comment on until I put in back-to-back good performances for Ospreys consistently.

"That's something I've always prided my game on, my kind of character I guess, is being reliable and consistent throughout the season. Down the line, I guess that's something we'll revisit, but at the moment, it's just putting in good performances for the Ospreys and just getting back out there on that field for sort of 80 minutes at a time."

Tandy makes James role clear

Meanwhile, Tandy says he sees centre Eddie James as more of a 13 rather than 12.

After the summer campaign, there has been a growing clamour for Wales to pick a more physical presence at inside centre moving forward.

Joe Hawkins and Ben Thomas are the men previously favoured but Tandy sees Scarlets man James as more of an outside centre, despite views to the contrary from a number of former Wales internationals, with a playmaker at 12 the priority.

"I see Eddie more as a 13," Tandy told Scrum V.

"I think he can definitely play 12, as you've seen for the Scarlets, but for me I see him in our team at the minute more of a 13 that can play 12."

Asked whether he wanted more of a playmaker at 12, Tandy added: "I think that's where we are at. With the 13s, Louie (Hennessey), Max (Llewellyn) and Eddie, big frames, they can still carry, there is lots of inter-changeability in the 12s and 13s, that's not to rule out Eddie playing 12 for us or Max Llewellyn.

"Max has played 12 as well, so I think we've got a nice variety of options there."

Former Wales internationals Sam Warburton and James Hook spoke over the summer about perhaps moving James into the inside centre position.

"I would always pick Eddie James and I would always pick Max Llewellyn," said Warburton back in July. "I think it takes a certain type of player to play international rugby.

"It's different to the club game. International rugby is very, very different to club rugby. That's why I would pick those players.

"They've got the physicality and skillset to play at this level."

Ex-Wales fly-half James Hook, who won a number of caps at 12, also noted that Wales are crying out for physicality.

"Wales have got physical players they could have picked like Eddie," Hook told BBC Radio Wales.

"It's about how you use players like that."

Jonathan 'Foxy' Davies concurred with his former team-mates, saying last summer: "Ben and Max were the preferred centre partnership way back last November and get an opportunity. Do I think it's the right choice? I don't. I would have liked to see Eddie move to 12 and play Max at 13.

"Eddie's best position is 12 and he has ball-playing ability that he hasn't shown a lot of in his first few caps for Wales. Max is another physical presence with a bit more experience to stay at 13."

Andrews autopsy to take place

Reports in South Africa state an autopsy on Hyron Andrews will take place in the next 24 hours.

The rugby world was rocked last week when it was announced the lock has passed away at the Lions' hotel ahead of their Champions Cup match.

According to the South African club, the autopsy will be completed imminently and the club will be guided by Andrews' family in terms of releasing any information.

“The sorrow everyone felt, and the way it was handled, felt authentic," assistant coach Julian Redelinghuys said.

“The way it was handled - locally, abroad, our leadership, coaches and management and players - felt really respectful and that gave us, to a big extent, some closure.

“Everyone grieves differently. You have to respect everyone’s process,” he added.

“We just said we want to be respectful towards the family at this time. That was our viewpoint from the start. How can we be most respectful towards the family, in our actions, what we decide?

“For everyone to go through this process, I think it helps being in a team.”