Warren Gatland announces Wales match 22 for their clash against the Barbarians – Rugby update
Wales national rugby union team head coach, Warren Gatland, has announced Wales’ match 22 for their encounter against the Barbarians on Saturday June 4.
Gatland has named two un-capped players in the squad that gives them the opportunity to make their debut in a full international match against the Bar Baas on Saturday at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. The two uncapped players named in the starting xv are Ospreys’ prop Ryan Bevington and Newport Gwent Dragons’ back row forward Toby Faletau. Both will become the squads 1,081st and 1,082nd internationals respectively.
Commenting on the team composition, Gatland said, “We have tried to get the right mixture of youth and experience in there and I'd like to think the likes of Bevington and Faletau will look at this and think 'this is a good chance for me.”
Cardiff Blues flanker Sam Warburton will lead the side for the Saturday fixture that will also see Wales’ international fly half, Stephen Jones, making his 100th appearance for the national side. The 33-year-old Jones made his international debut 13 years ago against South Africa at Pretoria on June 27, 1998. In the 99 appearances so far, he has scored 881 points that includes 7 tries, 138 conversions, six-drop goals and 184 penalties.
Gatland has extended his congratulations to the veteran international player and expressed hopes that he will continue to deliver his best for the national sides. Commenting on the Jones, Gatland added, “Stephen has reached a fantastic milestone and he deserves all the plaudits he will get, but he is so important to us and will continue to be so in the coming months that there is also a sense that it is great for us to get his 100th cap out of the way.”
In other news, Gavin Henson has also been named in the starting xv for the squad.
The complete Wales squad includes-
Starting XV: Morgan Stoddard (Scarlets); George North (Scarlets), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Gavin Henson (Unattached), Aled Brew (Newport Gwent Dragons); Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Michael Phillips (Ospreys); Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Paul James (Ospreys), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), Danny Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), Toby Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Replacements: Lloyd Burns (Newport Gwent Dragons), Scott Andrews (Cardiff Blues), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Scott Williams (Scarlets).
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