Rob Howley announced Wales squad – Rugby News Update
Rob Howley, the caretaker of the Wales national squad for the three-match test tour of Australia in the summer, has announced a 38-man training squad.
Howley has been handed the reins of the team on an interim basis, as Warren Gatland, the current coach is recovering from fractured heels, an injury he picked up while he was vacationing in New Zealand, and will not travel with the team to Australia.
He has picked 4 new faces, while the rest of the squad is the same that helped Wales achieve the 2012 Six Nations Grand Slam. The team will assemble on the 21st of May for training but the Ospreys have been given an extended date to join, as they
played Leinster in the final of the RaboDirect PRO12 final on May 26.
Howley was happy to let the Ospreys take some extra days, and if they win it will be added motivation for them. He believes that they will come to training in high spirits.
“The Ospreys will have our full backing in their bid for silverware in a fortnight's time, so we will not be asking them to join us until a week after everyone else," Howley said. "They are playing very well at the moment, and a win in the final would be
a great starting point for our own campaign this summer. The call-ups for both Dan Biggar and Andrew Bishop, in particular, reflect the good form the Ospreys are in.”
The surprise inclusion in the team is off Martyn Williams, who is set to earn his 100th international cap for Wales. Howley believes that the selection has been consistent, and whoever plays against Baa-baas is essentially playing for a place
to tour Australia.
Wales face a massive challenge in Australia, but one they will feel confident about, especially after the good performances at the 2011 Rugby World Cup and the 2012 Six Nations Grand Slam.
Wales' 38-man training squad for the Barbarians game and tour Down Under:
Backs: A Beck (Ospreys), D Biggar (Ospreys), A Bishop (Ospreys), A Brew (Newport Gwent Dragons), A Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), J Davies (Scarlets), L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), W Harries (Newport Gwent Dragons), J Hook (Perpignan), G North (Scarlets), M Phillips
(Bayonne), R Priestland (Scarlets), H Robinson (Cardiff Blues), R Webb (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Scarlets), Liam Williams (Scarlets).
Forwards: R Bevington (Ospreys), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), I Evans (Ospreys), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), R Gill (Saracens), R Hibbard (Ospreys), P James (Ospreys), G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), A Jones (Ospreys),
A-W Jones (Ospreys), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), K Owens (Scarlets), M Rees (Scarlets), A Shingler (Scarlets), J Tipuric (Ospreys), J Turnbull (Scarlets), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), M Williams (Cardiff
Blues.
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