This is what a Wales A team would look like right now
Wales A have not participated in a fixture since way back in 2002 when former Welsh Rugby Union CEO David Moffett made the unpopular decision to axe the second team in a cost-cutting excercise.
Officially Wales do now have an A side after it was reinstated in 2016 for the sole purpose of persuading dual-qualified players to represent Wales U20s, which was no longer the capture side as a result. But it has been 23 long years since they took to the field and there are those within the high-performance department of the WRU who are adamant Welsh rugby would benefit from the resurrection of Wales A.
Of course, the main barriers would be financial, while finding a place in the calendar to play meaningful fixtures is also a potential obstacle. But the likes of England, Ireland and Australia, among others, have a second team and it is something the WRU are thought to be considering.
READ MORE: Dan Biggar: My Six Nations dark horses, Wales' chances and what needs to change
But if Wales A were to play a fixture in the near future what would the team look like?
15. Jacob Beetham
The 23-year-old is highly regarded by the Wales management but a series of injuries have stalled his progress. Beetham's primary position is full-back but he can also cover the wing, centre and outside-half.
At 6ft 1in and just over 15 stone, the rising Cardiff star has the size to play international rugby. Gatland has previously spoken of his desire to see Beetham get given a run in the number 10 jersey and were the Wales A side to be resurrected it would provide a perfect opportunity for him to do just that.
14. Ellis Mee
Mee has taken Welsh rugby by storm since joining the Scarlets from Nottingham at the start of the season. His performances have not gone unnoticed either, with the 21-year-old in contention for a place in Gatland's Six Nations squad.
Mee is excellent in the air and is a potent attacking threat who makes good decisions under pressure. It is difficult to be certain a player is good enough for Test rugby until he has been exposed to the unforgiving nature of the international game but Mee would stand a good chance.
13. Zack Wimbush
The 21-year-old is on Wales' radar but while he is a dual-qualified player therefore there is always a chance he will choose to represent England. But if he were to throw his lot in with Wales, the prospect of the 6ft 6in and 118kg Wimbush running at defenders is a potentially mouth-watering one.
Of course if there was a Wales A side and Wimbush were to figure it would tie him to the men in red.
12. Johnny Williams
The Scarlets centre has been in fine form this season but has missed out on the last couple of Wales squads. Williams is an explosive carrier who is capable of making significant post-contact metres, but his distribution under pressure has been questioned in the past.
But even so Williams deserves to at the very least remain in the Wales conversation and would be a perfect candidate for an A side.
11. Regan Grace
We already know the 28-year-old is part of Gatland's plans because he figured for Wales in the victory over Queensland Reds last summer. But Grace has been plagued by injuries since moving to rugby union a couple of years ago and has recently joined Cardiff from Bath on a contract until the end of the season.
In his rugby league days the former St Helens star was one of the deadliest attacking forces in the 13-a-side game and were he to enjoy a period free from injury there is no reason to believe he wouldn't recapture that form for Cardiff.
10. Dan Edwards
It is surely a matter of when not if the 21-year-old represents Wales at senior level. Edwards has been outstanding for the Ospreys over the past 18 months and is a triple threat player.
His kicking game is very good and he is a threat will ball in hand, while Edwards also has tons of peripheral vision. What is impressive about the Ospreys playmaker is his confidence and problem-solving on the field of play which is of course vital at Test level.
A Wales A side would be a good stepping stone for a promising number 10 like Edwards.
9. Reuben Morgan-Williams
The 26-year-old falls into the category of player who is good at club level but there are doubts whether he has quite got it to take the next step to international rugby. Put simply, a Wales A side would potentially give the Wales coaches a better idea of whether the Ospreys scrum-half is capable of taking the next step.
But he was outstanding for the Ospreys in their draw against Cardiff on New Year's Day as he got the better of his opposite number Ellis Bevan.
8. Morgan Morris
The 26-year-old has been consistently very good for the Ospreys for a number of seasons but has not had a look in when it comes to Wales selection. As a result Ospreys fans have been left scratching their heads as to why Morris gets constantly overlooked.
There are those who believe he is not quite big enough for the rigours of Test rugby, while former Ospreys boss Toby Booth once revealed the Wales coaches are of the opinion he is not impactful enough both sides of the ball. Perhaps they are right but were Morris to figure for a Wales A side against high-class opposition it would potentially answer a lot of questions.
7. Josh Macleod
The Scarlets skipper has had rotten luck when it comes to injuries and if he had been able to stay fit more frequently the odds are he would have won more than two caps. But the 28-year-old has been in outstanding form this season with his excellence at the breakdown, his general physicality and his relentless work rate in defence a big asset for the Scarlets.
Macleod's problem is he plays in a position which is stacked full of talent with the likes of Jac Morgan, Tommy Reffell, James Botham and Taine Basham all vying for the number seven jersey. But were Wales to get hit by an injury crisis Macleod is more than good enough to step in.
6. Morgan Morse
The 19-year-old is arguably the best prospect in Welsh rugby. Morse is capable of covering the whole backrow and it is only a matter of time before he becomes a senior Wales international.
The Ospreys backrower is an explosive carrier who is also very athletic with a high work rate. But Wales need to be careful they don't expose Morse too early and he is another player who might benefit from an extra layer of competition between the regional game and senior international level as has been the case with many English players who play for the Saxons first.
5. James Fender
Prior to breaking his arm against Perpignan a year ago the powerful Ospreys lock was being considered for a place in Wales' Six Nations squad. Fender is a strong carrier and an excellent lineout forward who excels in the tight.
The 23-year-old is one of those players who has a nice blend between athleticism and raw physicality. Expect the Ospreys man to win his first senior cap in the near future.
4. Tom Lockett
The powerful Northampton Saints lock represented Wales U18s before switching allegiances to play for England U20s. Lockett is a dual-qualified player and a tug of war between England and Wales for the 22-year-old's services at some point in the future is not out of the question.
He was outstanding in Northampton's shock Champions Cup victory over the Bulls in Pretoria last month and is developing into an important player for Phil Dowson's side. Lockett is a high numbers lock in terms of his contribution around the park while he is also an outstanding lineout forward who carries.
Wales would do well to cap him quickly.
3. Sam Scott
The 19-year-old is in the Bristol Bears set-up but has not figured for Pat Lam's side in the Gallagher Premiership. Therefore, this would be an enormous step up but the Wales U20s prop impressed last season and is someone who the senior coaches have high hopes for in the long-run.
Scott is a technically sound scrummager who is busy around the park. Tighthead prop is the position where Wales are struggling the most so any youngster with international potential is likely to get fast-tracked.
The likelihood is Scott will have tough days at the scrum along the way but those within the upper echelons of Welsh rugby are confident he will one day have what it takes.
2. Liam Belcher
The Cardiff captain is another one of those players who impresses in the United Rugby Championship but it is difficult to gauge whether he can make the step up. At club level Belcher is very good at the set-piece, while his work rate is good around the park.
If a Wales A side was brought back it would suit a player like Belcher down to the ground.
1. Corey Domachowski
The Cardiff prop was a part of Gatland's Rugby World Cup squad but was not selected for the Autumn Nations Series. Domachowski has been scrummaging well for Cardiff and at his best is a powerful carrier who packs a physical punch.
In theory Wales A would also provide an opportunity for those who are dropped from the senior set-up to bounce back.
Replacements
16. Brodie Coghlan
The 24-year-old is an abrasive hooker who has stood out in a struggling Dragons side this season. Coghlan is somebody with the raw materials to play Test rugby in the future.
17. Jordan Morris
The 20-year-old has not figured for the Dragons at senior level but was outstanding for Wales U20s. Morris is a very powerful and explosive ball carrier who regularly makes post contact metres.
18. Sam Wainwright
The 26-year-old is an underrated player and has been decent for the Scarlets. Wainwright is a tidy scrummager at club level who regularly puts in a shift in defence.
19. Rhys Davies
The 26-year-old made his comeback from a long-term injury in the Ospreys' draw with Cardiff on New Year's Day. Davies is an extremely physical player with a nasty edge about him and is sure to win more senior Wales caps.
20. Mackenzie Martin
The 21-year-old was a shock selection in Gatland's squad last season but has been playing the majority of his rugby in the SRC this season. But Martin is a serious physical specimen who is an explosive carrier and a high impact player.
21. Archie Hughes
The 21-year-old is considered an excellent propsect and would have figured more prominently for the Scarlets this season if it wasn't for injury. Hughes has a nice all-round game and is also a threat with ball in hand.
22. Jarrod Evans
The 28-year-old has been Marcus Smith's understudy since leaving Cardiff for Harlequins. In the past Evans' kicking game has been questioned but he is a lovely footballer with a silky passing game who has the vision to put others into space.
23. Ioan Lloyd
The 23-year-old figured prominently for Wales during last season's Six Nations but was not included in the summer or autumn squads. His game management in the number 10 jersey is often questioned but Lloyd's talent has never been in doubt.
