Tomas Francis explains Wales comeback after family-focused Test break

Tomas Francis has explained how time with his young family shaped his break from international rugby, with the Wales prop now pursuing a fourth World Cup after returning to Test duty. In an interview reported by BBC Sport, Francis described why he stepped away after the 2023 tournament and why representing Wales still matters to him. He won his 83rd cap in last weekend's 28-21 victory over Japan in Cardiff.

Watch the highlights:

Francis left Ospreys for French second-tier club Provence after the 2023 World Cup. He said the move allowed him more time at home with his two young daughters after the demands of two World Cup cycles. His absence also gave Wales an opportunity to develop other players in his position. The eventual gap between his Test appearances lasted 26 months before he returned during this year's Six Nations.

The tight-head prop said he had never ruled out playing for Wales again. He told former head coach Warren Gatland that he remained available if needed, a message that was passed on to Steve Tandy. Francis also described the nerves he continues to feel on match days, saying they remain part of his motivation. For him, losing that feeling would be a sign that his international career should end.

His comeback during the Six Nations began from the replacements bench, with Archie Griffin starting against England. Francis subsequently took the starting tight-head role for the next four matches, including the victory over Italy that concluded Wales' campaign. Wales then gave him the summer off while he moved from France to Manchester to join Sale, adding another change of club to his return to international rugby.

Francis said he had enjoyed the rugby at Sale and working alongside world-class players, while acknowledging that results had not yet followed. He described a squad combining promising youngsters with experienced recruits. For the November internationals, he was selected alongside fellow tight-heads Griffin and Dillon Lewis and was the oldest player in the Wales squad. Griffin started against Japan, with Francis contributing as a replacement.

Despite the win, Francis said the dressing-room mood differed from the celebrations following Wales' victory over Japan in Cardiff in November 2025. Players felt they had missed opportunities and fallen short of the performance they wanted. His account was of a squad no longer content simply to secure a narrow victory, but focused on improving the standard of its rugby.