MIDWEEK mind games and verbal grenades never win a Test but Wales made a shrewd surprise move yesterday morning.

Warren Gatland may be wearing a Lions tracksuit at the moment but it was as if the mischievous New Zealander was still calling the shots at the Vale Resort.

An email came through from the Wales media officer at 7.41am providing a heads-up that Howley would be naming his squad for Scotland at 9.15am rather than on Thursday morning.

What followed was one of the most routine matchday 23 announcements in quite some time: Is George North fit? Check. Is Luke Charteris fit? Check.

The coaching team would have inked in 23 names before the tea was properly brewed at this particular selection meeting, so making their (understandably predictable) decisions public made total sense.

This was Rob Howley getting on the front foot and displaying the confidence in his side that they deserved after a super performance for 75 minutes against England.

Sure, they lost a gargantuan Test match but it was their best display in the Championship for quite some time – Ireland in 2015? The English in 2013? – and there was no need for tinkering.

Of course one man misses out, the unfortunate Alex Cuthbert, while Cory Hill loses the 19 shirt to Charteris despite doing well, but this was a team that could be easily cut and pasted.

And by making their decisions clear Wales have avoided another day of debate, speculation and rumour. They have nothing that will catch Scotland by surprise so why keep it under wraps?

Howley slapped his team on the table and will address the media this afternoon to state why he is confident they'll make it 10 wins on the spin against the Scots.

The former scrum-half also knows that it's unlikely to be quite so easy when selecting his team to face Ireland in Cardiff, an announcement currently scheduled for Wednesday, March 8.

Coaches love to say that they welcome selection headaches but Howley will have enjoyed a week where he hasn't had to reach for the Anadin.

As someone who has covered most of his career, I am an unashamed Taulupe Faletau fan and would have him in the Lions 8 jersey ahead of his cousin Billy Vunipola this summer.

However, it is only right that he bides his time on the bench for another week, although I won't be surprised if he returns for Ireland in round four even if things go swimmingly in Edinburgh.

Faletau hasn't started a Test since taking on the All Blacks last June and must repeat his impressive autumn cameo against the Springboks to ensure it's a call between Ross Moriarty and Justin Tipuric for the Friday night meeting with the Irish in Cardiff.

After so many years fearing the massive drop-off in quality behind Faletau – and thankfully when he was at Newport Gwent Dragons he had a fitness record that must have Bath pondering if the Aviva Premiership is his kryptonite – it's remarkable that he will be heading for the bench after the anthems for the third Test on the spin.

Charteris will be sat next to him because Jake Ball has made the most of his absence through injury while Sam Davies must also be patient.

One has to feel for Dan Biggar; he was immense against England yet some still call for him to be deprived of the 10 jersey.

It seems that he will always be the wrong Osprey for some; he is the robotic Rob Andrew while Davies plays the flamboyant Stuart Barnes role.

That's balderdash of course but there are those ready to pounce the next time Biggar has a 6 out of 10 performance.

That, however, is a healthy situation for Wales. Howley's early call was smart now the XV have to ensure their names are swiftly jotted down for Ireland.

South Wales Argus:

NEWPORT Gwent Dragons lock Cory Hill pledged that being an international would not change him when talking at Wales’ training base last autumn.

That’s not been the case, but thankfully not in a way where big-headedness has left him needing to order a new scrum cap.

Hill’s cameo in the second half in the defeat at Connacht last weekend emphasised the strides that he has made this season.

A clever rugby player and fine lineout operator, he added plenty of oomph at the Sportsground with some strong carrying, good defensive work and nice skills.

When he answered Rob Howley’s SOS in October because of injuries in the second row there were some doubts about his ability to step up to Test level However, he impressed in training and has won five caps with more surely set to come his way as he is in the mid-20s cohort with Jake Ball, sandwiched by the senior trio of Alun Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris and Bradley Davies and the young Ospreys pair of Rory Thornton and Adam Beard.

Physicality was, and probably still is if we are honest, the biggest question mark over Hill at Test level but confidence thanks to life with Wales seems to be fuelling improvement on that front.

That he misses out on a Test matchday squad for the first time at Murrayfield is simply a reflection on the excellent options at Howley’s disposal, with the fit-again Charteris backing up Jones and Ball, rather than a slight on Hill.

Like his former teammate Andrew Coombs before him, he has flourished thanks to a Wales call-up and the Dragons need more of his colleagues to enjoy the same.

They have lots of uncapped players of potential – Ollie Griffiths, Ashton Hewitt, Harri Keddie, Elliot Dee, Leon Brown – but making that difficult next step to the Test squad will aid improvement at Rodney Parade.