Warren Gatland has named the Wales squad for this year’s RBS Six Nations. There is a call-up for the uncapped scrum-half Aled Davies, while there are recalls for Tom James and Josh Turnbull, both of whom had been in the international wilderness for some time.
Gatland has named a big squad, with 31 players that featured at the World Cup joined by six new faces. The squad is once again captained by Sam Warburton.
The head coach said: “We have selected a squad that rewards players form as well as picking a lot of experience and that continuity is important to us,” said Gatland. We have picked a larger squad than normal, we have a few injuries at the moment, those players aren’t too far away from getting back on the field so we are happy with the mix.
“Aled (Davies) is someone who has been on the radar the last couple of years and his selection is reward for his form. Tom (James) is playing very well for the Blues and we have been impressed with Josh’s (Turnbull) performances recently.
“It is always exciting when the Six Nations comes around and we are looking forward to meeting up next Monday.”
WALES SQUAD FOR THE 2016 RBS 6 NATIONS
Forwards:
Rob Evans (Scarlets), Paul James (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Racing 92), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Dominic Day (Bath Rugby), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Josh Turnbull (Cardiff Blues), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (CAPT) (Cardiff Blues).
Backs:
Aled Davies (Scarlets), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues) Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Priestland (Bath Rugby), Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Davies (Clermont Auvergne), Tyler Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), Jamie Roberts (Harlequins), Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Tom James (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Matthew Morgan (Bristol Rugby), Liam Williams (Scarlets).
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
Dominic Day??????? FFS!
Tom James and C++butt !!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!
Cementhead cannot be thinking of playing either of those 2 clowns on the wing????
Tom James has screwed up for Wales before too often as has the ‘Show Pony’ but I’ve a nasty feeling that Gats will pick at least one for them for the match day 23.
I’d sooner pick a sack of potatoes or a pile of bricks. At least they might ‘tackle’ someone who falls over those objects by accident.
P++shand back in the fold after changing his mind, now that is a double-edged sword in every sense.
No 15????
The currently lame Liam ‘Donkey’ Williams ?
The’Over-I’ll-come-for- a-central-contract’ at fullback a position in which the Welsh Aussie was pretty awful at the RW?
Matthew ‘Diddy Man’ Morgan is being touted as a fullback for the away game in Ireland……the U11 game V Ireland I assume as opposed to the 6n opener v Sexton’s boot?
And we just know that no matter what happens Gethin Jenkins will be 1st choice No1 even though he cannot scrimmage. Everyone else knows after 100+ caps! Everyone but Gatland!
Meanwhile SW as captain is automatic 1st choice No7, despite not having played since Nov 2015.
‘Slight favourites for the 6n in 2016’ not with these players I am afraid
Was coming here to express my delight on Tom James’ call up and then read Enoch’s post :-)
I for one am delighted that James is in – there isn’t a better Welsh winger playing right now. James has been a key player for Cardiff (I can hear Enoch’s voice in my head while I’m typing this, I know that this will not be seen as a good reason by him) and prior to that had an excellent spell at Exeter. He’s always been a great runner but too often his hot headedness and lack of position awareness counted against him but he’s improved beyond compare in these aspects of his game. Seeing him on the same pitch as some of the other options in Wales – Walker, Cuthbert – it’s clear who the better player is right now. It’ll be a travesty if he doesn’t get picked for some game time.
Gatland’s Law – doesn’t exist, obviously.
Agreed on Tom James – he’s looked sharper than Walker or Cuthbert for sure, and given the length of time Amos has been out I’d have him [James] starting. He has a much better head on his shoulders than he did last time he was playing for the Blues.
I think there needs to be some clarity on Gatland’s law before saying it doesn’t exist. My understanding is that at least some players (Charteris, Day, Francis, B. Davies, Moriarty,..) aren’t affected due to timings of contracts and Welsh offers. It’d be nice to have a definitive list of which players aren’t/won’t be affected.
This is it, from Simon Thomas of the Western Mail:
Warren Gatland is allowed to select two “captured” players as wildcards this season. Only two players – Jamie Roberts and Rhys Priestland – currently fall into that captured category, so they take up those spots. The other eight non-Welsh based players in his Six Nations squad are not captured as their existing deals were signed before Gatland’s Law became active.
Next season, he will be able to select three wildcards. But six players – Roberts, Priestland, Taulupe Faletau, Tomas Francis, Luke Charteris and George North – are set to be captured. So, in theory, three of those will have to miss out.
My take on that is … this year these are the reasons nobody is not selected. We currently have a set of reasons that will mean someone missing out next year. But next year we will have changed the rules so nobody will miss out … wish Gats would just come out and admit its BS. It’s an unnecessary distraction and makes him look a little bit Lancaster-ish.
One related thing – Matt Protheroe has been called up by Eng U20s. Given all the recent Underhill attention I think this one is worth mentioning. People may remember the name as there was a fair bit of fuss in the press over it – a Welsh boy, Welsh age grade, etc. offered some private school tuition etc. and a Gloucs place. He was one of a few young Welsh lads actively targeted by English school/club/academy scouts and “lured” over to use the tabloid phrase. While I’ve been clear recently that I have no truck with people moaning about “our players” etc (the rules are the rules) I don’t like young lads being targeted like this.
yes that doesn’t quite seem right
while still technically being within the rules it leaves a bad taste in the mouth
Brighty,
Verily I say unto thee……………
‘Pick ye not this player, else it cometh back to haunt thee and all thy countrymen sometime very very soon’
What Tom James may give with one hand, he will certainly take with the other.
I just think that should he be picked then he’s going to screw up really badly.
Just as he did with the Connacht interception try and just as he did in the 6n 2010 when he butchered 2-3 try scoring chances v England or getting sent off at Glous in that Euro tie.
He is a great athlete….no-one doubts that but he is not a good enough rugby player to compete at international level.
Someone cleverer than him (basically any palyers from the Irish, Scottish or English squads) will wind him up and he’ll do something plain dull and get himself binned or even sent off.
As far as an alternative to C++tbutt…..
I’d rather play with 14 players in my team than pick that useless pile of excrement.
Gatland said during the RWC
‘We will play Alex back into form’…..
Yeah that worked out v the Boks didn’t it!
We hear a lot about players you don’t like, but whom would you actually pick?
Given the current injuries as of today
1 Paul James
2 Ken Owens
3 Samson Lee
4 Charteris
5 AWJ
6 Lydiate (if fit this weekend)
7 Tipuric
8 Faletau
9 Gareth Davies
10 Biggar
11 North
12 Jamie Roberts
13 JD
14 Hallam Amos
15 Dan Evans (no other fit full backs at present)
Bench: Gethin Jenkins, Scott Baldwin, Thomas Francis, Brad Davies, Warburton (if he plays this weekend and next weekend) , Lloyd Williams, Sam Davies, Tylor Morgan.
Any Bath fans care to comment on Priestland’s selection? Any truth to the rumours that he “agreed” his international retirement with Bath before he joined them … but now they have both 1st choice 10s away for the 6Ns window?
And possibly Devoto, their usual back up…
We aren’t doing particularly well with them, might as well give Stuart Hooper a shot, can’t be any worse…
Slightly more seriously though, I can’t say for definite but it was always my understanding that he was supposed to be having an international sabbatical this season, does leave us very short in the back division in general. Looking at the first team squad, Luke Arscott might be able to fit in, otherwise we’re into academy players, not great given our form is so off at the moment too…
Could Tom homer play at 10??
Yes, that’s my pt. Shortly after his signing was announced by Bath he announced a “sabbatical” from international rugby. Much mirth/indignation ensues (I always think it’s massively egotistical to announce yourself that you’ll take a break from being picked for Wales thanks and you’ll let Wales know when you feel like they can pick you again) but also the strong suspicion that behind the scenes this was part of the Bath deal – they signed him because verbally he indicated he was going to do this. Be clear that this is all conjecture on my part based on the order of things, I have no proof at all.
I mean, before some of the recent overseas signings, RP was one of the ten highest paid players in the premiership! He was earning more than Ford! It always seemed odd that Bath would pay > 300K for a Fork backup who’d miss ~1/3rd of the season cos he was away with Wales … unless he wasn’t. Very fishy, and now even fishier given his about turn and subsequent selection for Wales.
Agree with everything you’re saying brighty and should have prob made it clearer that yeah, knew that was your pt and from a bath fan perspective I’d thought that too, that’s not gonna help Mike Ford’s mood after the whole Burgess debacle…
Kit, you’re right forgot about Homer, although that maybe an indication of how much game time he’s had this season so far, not sure if he can play ten, but desperate times, and also you have to take into account JJ likely retaining his spot, in which case even if Devito is released back to club, he may well be covering centre although Banahan does do shifts there these days now also.
Dan Bowden has been signed from Auckland. But throwing him straight into play 10 will be risky,.
Didn’t actually know that, follow Bath from afar these days, don’t always keep up, but that’s handy given things going forward, although paraphrasing someone somewhere else, are we stockpiling fly halves now?
Yeah i think his signing was a reaction to Priestland deciding to still play for Wales. From the press release I saw at the time, Ford snr. was pretty peed off! Bit from what I remember of Bowden at Tigers, he’ll be a great signing.
Just a pity Owen Williams is crocked, think he’d have been nailed on to make the final Squad. Obviously Webb isn’t as close to returning as we’d been led to think ..
Is scott williams injured
Very surprised not to see his name after the world cup he had
Yes Leon, Scott Williams is injured ( shoulder injury received during WC ) , great pity because he would almost certainly be in the starting 15 , great player …
i don’t get why anyone is crtisising Mathew Morgan , everytime he gets the ball he gets the crowd on their feet waiting for a bit of magic, i think hes 2″ shorter than Phill Bennett , hissize is not an issue , he beats his man or 3 everytime and is a rare talent , …..i would pick him everytime the guys a wee genious , at least he tries to open the game up and i thought he had a great WC ,He must be one of the quickest players off the mark/over 20-30 meters he wont be caught by anyone , people used to say exactly the same about a certain Shane williams as i remeber
But in the aerial bombardment that Sexton and Kearney would unleash upon him he’ll get taken to the cleaners every single time.
People seem to think he is Shane reborn. This is anything but the case.
Shane could bring down the likes of Matt Banahan 5 metres from the Welsh line. (RWC 2011 warm-up Cardiff)
Matthew Morgan is powder puff tackler who will get totally exposed defensively.
If no Welsh side wanted to sign him when he left the Ospreys, why should Wales go for a Ant Hill Mob player from the 2nd tier of English rugby to start at 15????