WALES HAVE TRIMMED their training squad ahead of next month’s Rugby World Cup.

Head coach Warren Gatland reduces his panel to 38 players with eight players missing the cut.

British and Ireland Lions trio Richard Hibbard, Mike Phillips and James Hook have all been dropped, along with Nicky Smith, Rory Thornton, Dan Baker, Rhys Patchell and Jack Dixon.

“It’s been a difficult task reducing the squad down and deciding who will meet up with us again on Monday,” said Gatland.

“All the players involved over the past eight weeks have put a huge amount of effort in. The intensity and dedication from the players out in Switzerland and Qatar has been really impressive.

“That makes our job a lot harder but as we continue to move into our rugby focused phase of training its important we reduce the squad number down.

There will be disappointment from the players but its important to stress that the door is not closed. We name our final Rugby World Cup squad on August 31st and a lot can happen between now and then.

“As a squad we will now meet up again on Monday to continuing preparing for Ireland away which is just over a fortnight away.”

Having lost to Ireland 35-21 at the Millennium Stadium last weekend, the teams meet in a second warm-up at the Aviva Stadium on 29 August before Wales’ World Cup opener against Uruguay on 20 September.

Wales training squad

Scott Andrews (Cardiff Blues)
Rob Evans (Scarlets)
Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs)
Paul James (Ospreys)
Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys)
Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues)
Samson Lee (Scarlets)
Scott Baldwin (Ospresy)
Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues)
Ken Owens (Scarlets)
Jake Ball (Scarlets)
Luke Charteris (Racing Metro)
Bradley Davies (Wasps)
Dominic Day (Bath)
Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys)
Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons)
James King (Ospreys)
Dan Lydiate (Ospreys)
Ross Moriarty (Gloucester)
Justin Tipuric (Ospreys)
Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues)

Gareth Davies (Scarlets)
Rhys Webb (Ospreys)
Lloyd Williams (Ospreys)
Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues)
Dan Biggar (Ospreys)
Rhys Priestland (Scarlets)
Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues)
Tyler Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons)
Jamie Roberts (Harlequins)
Scott Williams (Scarlets)
Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons)
Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues)
Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon)
Matthew Morgan (Bristol)
George North (Northampton Saints)
Eli Walker (Ospreys)
Liam Williams (Scarlets)

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