Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Harri Keddie was tipped for international rugby when he was a swashbuckling number eight in Wales’ Under-20s Six Nations Grand Slam in 2016.

He was invited to train with the squad a decade ago along with Dragons tight-head prop Leon Brown, who went on to win 24 caps in a career sadly impacted by injury.

Keddie has also suffered more than his share of misfortune but the back-row forward finally gets a chance to push for a first Test cap.

The 29-year-old from Llanvaches, who turns 30 in July, has racked up 145 appearances for Dragons and has been in fine form in recent weeks.

Keddie was a number eight in his youth but has shown versatility in recent times with an ability to play at blind-side or open-side flanker, bringing the best out of those around him.

The no-nonsense forward is a huge leader for Dragons and is also a low-maintenance member of the squad, a modest man like now Wales teammate Aaron Wainwright.

Keddie has a big challenge ahead if he is to stay with the squad beyond the Barbarians game given the options that Tandy has, but his work-rate will stand out.

Gareth Rhys Owen
BBC Radio Wales commentator

Bryn Bradley and Rhys Barratt, both 23, are rewarded for breakthrough seasons that have taken them from the fringes into the front line.

Bradley had never started a Gallagher Premiership match before this campaign, while Barratt had just two United Rugby Championship starts to his name.

Both now have 10 league and European starts this season, with Wales head coach Steve Tandy backing them to make the step up at international level.

The squad has been announced, but a quick reminder that Steve Tandy will explain some of his thinking in more depth at a press conference at 15:00 BST.

He's named 48 players, but there are still some controversial omissions.

We'll provide his answers to those questions in just under 10 minutes.

Alex Cuthbert
Former Wales wing

This is the best of Wales, right now, isn't it?

Great to see Jac Morgan back - he clearly goes straight into the team and gives Steve Tandy a bit of a selection headache in the back row.

But I do feel this tournament will really show where our depth is.

Are we going to struggle in that respect?

It could favour the likes of France, South Africa and England... teams with real depth.

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Wales shipped 172 points and 26 tries in the Six Nations, that after Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa ran amok in Cardiff.

Steve Tandy, who was a defence coach with Scotland, has since bolstered his staff with Pete Murchie.

He will join this summer as defence coach while Dan Lydiate is a full-time member of the team to look after the contact area, that after he was brought in from Dragons for the past two campaigns.

Tandy said: "Pete coming in will add lots of detail and build on some of the defensive performances from the Six Nations.

"His passion, his energy and his detail will really add value to the group.

"Dan made a big impact throughout the two campaigns he was with us around the close-quarters skills, whether it be the tackle or post-tackle work.

"I think longer-term as well, how he interacts with the boys outside of campaigns is going to play a huge part in our development individually and as a group."

Philippa Tuttiett
Former Wales captain

Good for Harri Keddie at the age of 29 to get his first call up, that's just proof you've got to keep ploughing away.

Ryan Woodman, fantastic. I think since we didn't see much of him when he captained the under-20s and then he had two years just in and around the Dragons, but he's been so consistent for them and so versatile. So I'm really pleased for him to get a shout.

Image source, Getty Images

The new biennial 12-team event will consist of the Six Nations teams as the northern hemisphere representatives, with South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Fiji and Japan as their opposition.

It comprises six rounds of matches across the summer and autumn Test windows before three double-header fixture days on 27-29 November at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham to rank nations and crown champions.

The results from the 'finals weekend' will also contribute to a parallel contest, to decide which hemisphere prevails overall.

There is an ambition to take future finals to new destinations.

It has been speculated that a host in the Middle East in 2028, and in the United States in 2030, would strike a balance between maximising revenues and spreading the game into new markets.

Read more about it here.

Gareth Rhys Owen
BBC Radio Wales commentator

Whether Kane James is ready for international rugby is almost beside the point.

Steve Tandy and others within the WRU have spoken about the need to secure emerging talent early.

James represented England at Under-20 level, and with Wales having lost players such as Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, this feels as much about protecting long-term assets as it does short-term gain.

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The Wales head coach will explain his thinking at 15:00 BST about some of the call-ups.

But here is his initial reasoning for naming an extended 48-strong squad.

Steve Tandy said: "Some players will finish next weekend and then some might not come into the squad until the 27th of June, so there's a lot of staggering, that's the reason for the extended squad.

"There will be an updated squad post the Barbarians game before we go into the Nations Championship.

"The priorities for us this summer are to keep growing the players, get them up to speed with the conditioning element and also skill development when they're coming in.

"With smaller groups, sometimes it does help that we can get to work with these boys even closer than normal. It's about getting everyone up to speed then linked to our game model as well."

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Steve Tandy has so far given Wales debuts to seven players:

• Olly Cracknell (Argentina)
• Harri Deaves (New Zealand)
• Morgan Morse (New Zealand)
• Brodie Coghlan (New Zealand)
• Danny Southworth (South Africa)
• Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Scotland)
• Louie Hennessey (Ireland)

Six more players will hope to join the list this summer.

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Most of Wales' players will have a long break from this weekend until the Nations Championship gets under way in July.

They will get the chance to blow away the cobwebs against Barbarians at Twickenham on Saturday, 27 June (14:00 BST).

That fixture is a double-header with a women's game afterwards for Sean Lynn's team (17:00 BST).

Wales then take on Fiji at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday, 4 July (14:10 BST), with Steve Tandy's troops the designated away side for the fixture in the Welsh capital.

The squad then fly to Argentina for a fixture in San Juan on Saturday, 11 July (20:00 BST) before an even tougher assignment against South Africa in Durban on Saturday, 18 July (16:40 BST).

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What do you think of Steve Tandy's squad?

Are you pleased with the look of it or has someone been unlucky to miss out?

Use the yellow 'Contact form' button on the page to send us your views.

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Wales captain Jac Morgan is back after his impressive return from injury but hard-carrying number eight Morgan Morris has also come back strongly.

He must keep pushing for a first cap while Cardiff flanker Dan Thomas, a menace at the breakdown, is also the victim of Wales’ strength in the back row.

Dragons have a five-strong contingent but there is no return for wing Rio Dyer, despite his fine form, tight-head prop Chris Coleman or hookers Elliot Dee and Brodie Coghlan.

Full-back Angus O’Brien and centre Aneurin Owen – two dependable and influential figures in club rugby – also miss out.

Scarlets have had a frustrating season but captain Josh Macleod is another victim of the back-row depth and Johnny Williams misses out to clubmate Joe Roberts.

Lively wing Macs Page is one for the future and will no doubt be on Wales’ radar.

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The headlines from that squad.

• Six uncapped players selected - Exeter's Kane James, Dragons' Harri Keddie and Ryan Woodman, Ospreys' Ben Warren, Cardiff's Rhys Barratt and Harlequins' Bryn Bradley.
• Jac Morgan, Max Llewellyn and Teddy Williams back from injury.
• Recalls for Leicester flanker Tommy Reffell and Dragons tight-head prop Dillon Lewis

Here it is, Steve Tandy has named a 48-man squad:

Forwards (27)

Rhys Barratt (Cardiff), Rhys Carre (Saracens), Nicky Smith (Leicester), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Liam Belcher (Cardiff), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Dewi Lake (Ospreys) Evan Lloyd (Cardiff), Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff), Dillon Lewis (Dragons), Sam Wainwright (Cardiff), Ben Warren (Ospreys), Adam Beard (Montpellier), Ben Carter (Dragons), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter), Freddie Thomas (Gloucester), Teddy Williams (Cardiff), James Botham (Cardiff), Olly Cracknell (Leicester), Kane James (Exeter), Harrison Keddie (Dragons), Alex Mann (Cardiff), Jac Morgan (Ospreys), Taine Plumtree (Scarlets), Tommy Reffell (Leicester), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), Ryan Woodman (Dragons).

Backs (21)

Ellis Bevan (Cardiff), Kieran Hardy (Ospreys), Reuben Morgan-Williams (Ospreys), Tomos Williams (Gloucester), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Dan Edwards (Ospreys), Jarrod Evans (Harlequins), Bryn Bradley (Harlequins), Joe Hawkins (Scarlets), Louie Hennessey (Bath), Eddie James (Scarlets), Max Llewellyn (Gloucester), Joe Roberts (Scarlets) Ben Thomas (Cardiff), Josh Adams (Cardiff), Mason Grady (Cardiff), Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Leicester), Ellis Mee (Scarlets), Blair Murray (Scarlets), Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol), Tom Rogers (Scarlets).

So how many players will Steve Tandy select in total?

Who makes the cut?

Who misses out?

All will be revealed imminently.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Steve Tandy has had two campaigns as Wales head coach and his side will head into the summer buoyed by a much-needed win against Italy in the Six Nations.

There was a steady improvement after a woeful start to the championship.

Here are the players that Tandy initially selected for the Six Nations:

Forwards (20): Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff), Adam Beard (Montpellier), Liam Belcher (Cardiff), James Botham (Cardiff), Rhys Carre (Saracens), Ben Carter (Dragons), Olly Cracknell (Leicester), Harri Deaves (Ospreys), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Provence), Archie Griffin (Bath), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter), Dewi Lake (Ospreys, capt), Alex Mann (Cardiff), Josh Macleod (Scarlets), Taine Plumtree (Scarlets), Nicky Smith (Leicester), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Freddie Thomas (Gloucester), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons).

Backs (18): Josh Adams (Cardiff), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Dan Edwards (Ospreys), Jarrod Evans (Harlequins), Mason Grady (Cardiff), Kieran Hardy (Ospreys), Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Leicester), Joe Hawkins (Scarlets), Louie Hennessey (Bath), Eddie James (Scarlets), Ellis Mee (Scarlets), Reuben Morgan-Williams (Ospreys), Blair Murray (Scarlets), Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol Bears), Tom Rogers (Scarlets), Ben Thomas (Cardiff), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Tomos Williams (Gloucester).

Cardiff tight-head props Sam Wainwright and Keiron Assiratti, Ospreys lock Rhys Davies and Dragons flanker or lock Ryan Woodman joined as cover during the championship.

Tandy will be able to add to the squad after the return from injury of several players, most notably captain Jac Morgan.

Gareth Rhys Owen
BBC Radio Wales commentator

A couple of interesting decisions.

We could get some of updates on the fly-half situation. How fit is Sam Costelow? How fit is Jarrod Evans?

Who do they pick at hooker without Dewi Lake?

They've been juggling and moving the pack around in terms of the backline, so interesting choices.

Maybe keep an eye on Kane James from Exeter, he's Welsh qualified.

Steve Tandy and numerous others have spoken about the need to lock in those players who are Welsh qualified, but not necessarily Welsh based because, of course, the vultures will come hunting from England.