Cardiff hooker Liam Belcher is keeping his ambitions firmly grounded, stating he must first secure his starting spot at the regional level before he can seriously challenge for a maiden Wales start this summer.

The 29-year-old, a key figure in Cardiff's push for the United Rugby Championship play-offs, earned his first senior Wales cap against Japan last year and featured in the autumn internationals and the Six Nations opener against England. However, with the return of Scarlets' Ryan Elias to fitness, Belcher found himself behind both captain Dewi Lake and Elias in the pecking order for the remainder of the championship.

Despite limited on-field minutes, Belcher values the experience immensely. "I loved it there," he said. "It is invaluable, whether you are playing or not, to train with some of the best players and also learn from coaches like Dan Lydiate, who has been there and done it."

All five of his Test appearances have come off the bench, and he will be hoping to add to that tally in Wales' upcoming summer Tests against the Barbarians, Fiji, Argentina, and South Africa. The hooker position is particularly competitive, with Wales monitoring the fitness of Dewi Lake. Belcher finds himself in contention alongside Ryan Elias, the returning Elliot Dee, Brodie Coghlan, and his own Cardiff teammate, Evan Lloyd.

Yet, Belcher's immediate focus is the intense battle for the number two jersey at the Arms Park. "Everyone is playing well but there is also a hell of a battle here at Cardiff between me, Daf Hughes and Evan," he noted, also praising young talent Tom Howe from the Wales U20s setup. "My main focus is on performing for Cardiff because if I don’t then there are very good players chomping at the bit."

He highlighted Howe, in particular, as a prospect with a "massive future," praising the teenager's physicality and attitude. For Belcher, the path to the international stage is clear: dominate at the club level first, and let the Wales selection take care of itself.