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Gatland names two uncapped players while Scotland recall experience

The first two squads of the 2018 Six Nations have been announced.

WARREN GATLAND HAS named the uncapped James Davies and Josh Adams in his Wales squad for the Six Nations, with Alun Wyn Jones selected as captain.

James Davies celebrates James 'Cubby Boi' Davies has finally been called up by Wales. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Gatland has called on 39 players in total, with Scarlets openside Davies and Worcester wing Adams, the top scorer in the Premiership, rewarded for their fine form.

Taulupe Faletau and George North are both included despite currently being injured, although the likes of Sam Warburton and Dan Lydiate are missing due to long-term injury issues.

Gatland’s squad includes many familiar faces in the shape of the experienced Ken Owens, Bradley Davies, Dan Biggar, Scott Williams, Alex Cuthbert, Leigh Halfpenny and Liam Williams.

Wales open their Six Nations at home to Scotland on 3 February, with Gregor Townsend also having named his 40-man squad this morning.

Townsend’s Scotland squad includes four uncapped players in the shape of Edinburgh fullback Blair Kinghorn, scrum-half Nathan Fowles and prop Murray McCallum, as well as Glasgow prop D’arcy Rae.

Blair Kinghorn The exciting Blair Kinghorn has been called up by Scotland. Ben Whitley / INPHO Ben Whitley / INPHO / INPHO

Perhaps more importantly, Townsend has been able to recall experienced figures such as Richie Gray, Greig Laidlaw, Duncan Taylor, Mark Bennett and Dave Denton, who had all been missing through injury for the November Tests.

John Barclay captains the squad, while there are also recalls for prop Jon Welsh, who last played for Scotland in 2015, and 36-year-old Newcastle hooker Scott Lawson, who last featured at international level in 2014.

Ireland are due to name their squad for the opening two rounds of the Six Nations tomorrow afternoon.

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Wales squad for 2018 Six Nations:

Forwards (21):

Rob Evans (Scarlets) 20 caps
Wyn Jones (Scarlets 5 caps
Nicky Smith (Ospreys) 16 caps
Scott Baldwin (Ospreys) 34 Caps
Elliot Dee (Dragons) 2 caps
Ken Owens (Scarlets) 52 caps
Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs) 26 caps
Samson Lee (Scarlets) 34 caps
Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues) 2 caps
Adam Beard (Ospreys) 2 caps
Bradley Davies (Ospreys) 57 caps
Seb Davies (Cardiff Blues) 3 caps
Cory Hill (Dragons) 10 caps
Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) 113 caps (captain)
James Davies (Scarlets) uncapped
Taulupe Faletau (Bath) 70 Caps
Ellis Jenkins (Cardiff Blues) 5 caps
Ross Moriarty (Gloucester) 17 caps
Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues) 7 caps
Aaron Shingler (Scarlets) 13 caps
Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) 52 caps

Backs (18):

Aled Davies (Scarlets) 5 caps
Gareth Davies (Scarlets) 27 caps
Rhys Webb (Ospreys) 31 caps
Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues) 11 caps
Dan Biggar (Ospreys) 60 caps
Rhys Patchell (Scarlets) 5 caps
Rhys Priestland (Bath) 50 caps
Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets) 1 cap
Owen Watkin (Ospreys) 2 caps
Owen Williams (Gloucester) 3 caps
Scott Williams (Scarlets) 51 caps
Josh Adams (Worcester Warriors) uncapped
Hallam Amos (Dragons) 15 caps
Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues) 47 caps
Steff Evans (Scarlets) 5 caps
Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets) 74 caps
George North (Northampton Saints) 69 caps
Liam Williams (Saracens) 45 caps

____________________

Scotland squad for 2018 Six Nations:

Forwards (21):

John Barclay (Scarlets) 66 caps (captain)
Simon Berghan (Edinburgh) 5 caps
Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow) 3 caps
Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh) 2 caps
David Denton (Worcester Warriors) 35 caps
Cornell Du Preez (Edinburgh) 5 caps
Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) 18 caps
Jonny Gray (Glasgow) 38 caps
Richie Gray (Toulouse) 64 caps
Luke Hamilton (Leicester) 1 cap
Rob Harley (Glasgow) 20 caps
Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons) 46 caps
Murray McCallum (Edinburgh) uncapped
Stuart McInally (Edinburgh) 12 caps
Gordon Reid (London Irish) 27 caps
D’arcy Rae (Glasgow) uncapped
Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) 7 caps
George Turner (Glasgow) 2 caps
Hamish Watson (Edinburgh) 15 caps
Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons) 11 caps
Ryan Wilson (Glasgow) 32 caps

Backs (19):

Mark Bennett (Edinburgh) 20 caps
Alex Dunbar (Glasgow) 28 caps
Nick Grigg (Glasgow) 1 cap
Chris Harris (Newcastle Falcons) 1 cap
Stuart Hogg (Glasgow) 55 caps
Pete Horne (Glasgow) 28 caps
Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow) 32 caps
Huw Jones (Glasgow) 11 caps
Lee Jones (Glasgow) 7 caps
Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh) uncapped
Greig Laidlaw (Clermont) 58 caps
Sean Maitland (Saracens) 29 caps
Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks) 2 caps
Ali Price (Glasgow) 11 caps
Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow) 27 caps
Finn Russell (Glasgow) 32 caps
Tommy Seymour (Glasgow) 39 caps
Duncan Taylor (Saracens) 21 caps
Nathan Fowles (Edinburgh) uncapped

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