Gareth Anscombe
New Zealand-born Gareth Anscombe has been included at flyhalf in Warren Gatland’s 34-man Wales squad to contest the Six Nations.
Apart from Anscombe there are 3 other debutants in Scarlets prop Rob Evans, Cardiff Blues Kristian Dacey and Newport Gwent Dragon, Tyler Morgan.
Scott Andrews and Gareth Davies are recalled and join 28 players who were involved in the recent End Of Year tour.
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In the front row, former Wales Under 20 prop Evans, who has impressed in his 17 outings for the Scarlets this season, joins the experienced Gethin Jenkins and Paul James.
Hookers Richard Hibbard, Scott Baldwin and uncapped Dacey join Aaron Jarvis, Samson Lee and Andrews completing the front row contingent.
The second rows remain unchanged from the November campaign with Alun Wyn Jones, Jake Ball, Bradley Davies and Luke Charteris all named.
Gatland’s back row options include Ospreys trio Dan Lydiate, James King and Justin Tipuric along with captain Sam Warburton and Newport Gwent Dragons’ Taulupe Faletau.
Gareth Davies, who earned his first cap against South Africa last June, returns from injury to be included along with Mike Phillips and Rhys Webb.
Dan Biggar and Rhys Priestland are joined by Anscombe who is named in a Wales squad for the first time.
Wales’ midfield options include British and Irish Lions duo Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies along with Scott Williams, Cory Allen and Morgan.
Morgan, who recently signed a National Dual Contract, has also been named in the Wales Under 20 squad and he will be released from the senior camp to link up with the age-group side during the campaign.
Leigh Halfpenny, Liam Williams, George North, Alex Cuthbert and Hallam Amos are named as the back three options.
Wales kick off the tournament with a Friday fixture against England at the Millennium Stadium and Gatland is looking forward to linking up with the squad next week.
“It’s great to be able to name such an experienced squad that also boasts some exciting young talent,” said Gatland.
“The 4 uncapped players have all been going well for their respective regions and it will be good to see them in this environment and we hope they take the opportunity.
“They come into a squad packed with experience and that experience will be important to us over the next 8 weeks and the year as a whole.
“We all know how tough the Six Nations is and we kick the tournament off with a huge game against England and that is something you have to be excited about and look forward to.
“We were pleased on the whole with the November campaign and this is another opportunity for us as we look ahead to a very big year in the rugby calendar.”
Wales squad: Gethin Jenkins, Paul James, Rob Evans, Aaron Jarvis, Samson Lee, Scott Andrews, Richard Hibbard, Kristian Dacey, Scott Baldwin, Alun Wyn Jones, Jake Ball, Bradley Davies, Luke Charteris, Dan Lydiate, James King, Sam Warburton, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau, Mike Phillips, Rhys Webb, Gareth Davies, Dan Biggar, Rhys Priestland, Gareth Anscombe, Cory Allen, Jamie Roberts, Jonathan Davies, Scott Williams, Tyler Morgan, Hallam Amos, Alex Cuthbert, George North, Liam Williams, Leigh Halfpenny.
The sparring ahead of the Wales England match has begun:
Wales coach Warren Gatland hit a few jabs at a press conference on Tuesday, suggesting that England are unsure about their best midfield combination or how they want to play the game, and may not be brave enough to agree to the Millennium Stadium roof being closed because of the heated atmosphere it created when Stuart Lancaster’s side fell to a 30-3 defeat in Cardiff two years ago.
Here’s what Gatland said: “I’m interested to see whether they want to keep the roof open or closed because the atmosphere was pretty electric that night. So they may decide to leave the roof open to try to dampen down the atmosphere the crowd can bring.
“I hope they want to close it and are prepared to accept that challenge, but we’ll wait and see. Probably teams will come and kick the leather off [the ball] against us because it’s one way to play against us. So we expect England to kick everything.”
Stuart Lancaster’s assistant Andy Farrell’s response to Warren Gatland’s comments:
England coach Andy Farrell – who worked with Gatland on the last British and Irish Lions tour – has responded to those comments today with a touch of bemusement.
“I’m quite surprised actually. He’s thrown all his grenades two-and-a-half weeks out. I don’t know what he’s going to talk about for the next two weeks.
“He’s just trying to direct stuff off his own team and that’s what he always does, and by you asking the question now, he thinks he’s won, he’s laughing at us all!”
Wales have some good options in their back three, if you take a player like the 20 year old Hallam Amos who will probably be a fringe player and only selected if injuries strike – he looks to be a very good player, had a good game for the Dragons and Newcastle last weekend.
Hi Bs. I can’t wait for the 6N to start! I wonder if France will be their usual erratic selves. As usual, I back Ireland to take the honors!
4 @ GoBokkeAndIreland:
Hi GoBokke yes it should be good. Who knows which France team will turn up, we get face them first up in Paris I think so hopefully can start our 6 Nations on a good note. Don’t know who will win it, but you are possibly right about Ireland, although their provincial teams not done too well lately once they go to national camp it will be a big step up in terms of coaching ability so they may well be champs. There now hope I have put the mockers on them Irish. GO SCOTLAND!
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