Wales Squad for 2013 Six Nations

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Six Nations 2013: Wales name five uncapped players


Wales interim coach Rob Howley has named five uncapped players in a 35-man squad for the RBS Six Nations.
With four front-line locks ruled out with injury, James King (Ospreys) and Andrew Coombs (Dragons) have been called up for the first time.

They are joined by Blues back-rowers Josh Navidi and South Africa-born Andries Pretorius, who qualifies on residency, and Ospreys wing Eli Walker.
Alun Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris, Dan Lydiate and Bradley Davies are injured.
Charteris is out for the season, but Davies, Wyn Jones and Lydiate could return for the latter stages of the tournament for the defending champions.
Wales Six Nations fixtures


v Ireland - 2 February, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (13:30 GMT)
v France - 9 February, Stade de France, Paris (17:00 GMT)
v Italy - 23 February, Stadio Olimpico, Rome (14:30 GMT)
v Scotland - 9 March, Murrayfield, Edinburgh (14:30 GMT)
v England - 16 March, Twickenham, London (17:00 GMT)


Versatile forward Ryan Jones has been included despite dislocating his thumb on Sunday, raising doubts over his availability for the opener against Ireland in Cardiff on 2 February.

Back in the squad is full-back Lee Byrne of Clermont Auvergne, who was overlooked for the autumn internationals, but there is no place for 19-year-old Blues fly-half Rhys Patchell.

Howley has named an experienced contingent in the front row, which is bolstered by the return to fitness of Adam Jones (Ospreys) and Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs), who feature alongside Gethin Jenkins (Toulon), Paul James (Bath), Scott Andrews (Blues) and Ryan Bevington (Ospreys).


"We have put together a very experienced squad and complemented that by rewarding the in-form players with a call-up," said Howley.

"The players in the squad have been playing really well and we have been pleased with their individual performances.

"We have a group of players who know how to win big matches and have experienced success. We are adding to that players who have stood out and performed well for the regions this season."
King, a former Wales Under-20s cap, has impressed for Ospreys this season and will vie for a second-row berth with 28-year-old Coombs.

In the back row, Sam Warburton, who has been named as captain, is selected alongside the experienced Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Toby Faletau (Dragons), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets) and Josh Turnbull (Scarlets).

In the backline Mike Phillips (Bayonne), Lloyd Williams (Blues) and Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets) will contest the number nine jersey. They will be joined at half-back by Dan Biggar (Ospreys) and James Hook (Perpignan), with Rhys Priestland (Scarlets) unavailable for selection because of injury.
The 2012 Grand Slam Champions begin the defence of their title against Ireland at the Millennium Stadium, before facing France in Paris the following weekend.


WALES SQUAD:

Forwards:
Scott Andrews (Blues), Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs), Adam Jones (Ospreys) Paul James (Bath), Gethin Jenkins (Toulon), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Ryan Jones (Ospreys) Lou Reed (Blues), Ian Evans (Ospreys), James King (Ospreys), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), Josh Navidi (Blues), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Scarlets), Toby Faletau (Dragons), Andries Pretorius (Blues)

Backs:
Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Bayonne), Lloyd Williams (Blues), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), James Hook (Perpignan), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Blues), Scott Williams (Scarlets) Alex Cuthbert (Blues), George North (Scarlets), Eli Walker (Ospreys), Leigh Halfpenny (Blues), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Lee Byrne (Clermont).



Injured Wales players

Ashley Beck (centre) - will miss first two Six Nations games
Huw Bennett (hooker) - targeting return in February
Luke Charteris (lock) - out for the season
Bradley Davies (lock) - unlikely to feature in Six Nations
Ian Evans (lock) - expected to be fit for the Six Nations
James Hook (fly-half) - expected to be fit for Six Nations
Aaron Jarvis (prop) - out for the season
Alun Wyn Jones (lock) - will miss start of Six Nations
Ryan Jones (lock/back-row) - expected to miss start of Six Nations
Dan Lydiate (flanker) - set to return in February
Rhys Priestland (fly-half) - out for the season
Aaron Shingler (flanker) - set to return in January

Comfort wrote:Ahhh, I'm never sure about these late calls, sometimes they backfire anyway, I must have imagined Evans had been declared fit if they havent yet made the call.

I think they might have ran a story saying he was fit because he trained on monday. But the Above is the recent official line from the Vale.

Warburton to start at 6, Tips 7 according to some Blues people

wales606 wrote:Warburton to start at 6, Tips 7 according to some Blues people

If that happens I am guessing that if Ryan Jones is fit he will be in the 2nd row.

Had a dream last night that we lost on sat, followed by 3 more losses, but ended the tourny in a glorious win against the old enemy proving the 6N a great success and ensuring at least 15 welsh boys went to Oz!!!

bedfordwelsh wrote:Yet another stupid as selection in Howleys list of selections.

If he wanted to add experience to the squad then as mentioned he should have called up Goughie he has at least proved he can play at this level.

If he starts then at 20+ stone he will be doing the lifting not jumping I assume, he could launch Tipuric skyward at vast rate of nots.

Any odds on him being another Will James.

Kohn's not a lineout specialist but he can jump as well as lift. He's a perfectly capable option at Quins there

http://onsideimages.photoshelter.com/image/I0000p1tA7or_mSA

ChequeredJersey wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Yet another stupid as selection in Howleys list of selections.

If he wanted to add experience to the squad then as mentioned he should have called up Goughie he has at least proved he can play at this level.

If he starts then at 20+ stone he will be doing the lifting not jumping I assume, he could launch Tipuric skyward at vast rate of nots.

Any odds on him being another Will James.

Kohn's not a lineout specialist but he can jump as well as lift. He's a perfectly capable option at Quins there

http://onsideimages.photoshelter.com/image/I0000p1tA7or_mSA

He rather reminds me of Olivier Merle, maybe/hopefully without the head butting.