WALES HEAD COACH Warren Gatland hinted that he may include injured prop Samson Lee in his 31-man squad for the Rugby World Cup.
The 22-year-old tighthead sustained an Achilles tendon injury during the Six Nations and has long been marked as having a ’50-50′ chance of making the tournament in England.
However, with just 50 days to go before the big kick-off, Gatland is considering gambling on the prop’s fitness in the hope of having him available in time for Wales’ second game against England and the final group fixture against Australia.
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“He’s doing pretty well but it’s touch and go in terms of the World Cup squad,” Gatland told Sky Sports News this morning.
“We might have to take him as an injured player and hope he’s OK by the second or third game.”
Nine days out from the opening warm-up fixture against Ireland, Gatland is also without Scarlets’ Liam Williams who will miss all three pre-World Cup games with a broken foot.
For the home leg against Ireland, the Kiwi will allow room for experimentation as he will cut his current 47-man squad by up to 11 following the 8 August Test.
“A number of younger players in the squad will have an opportunity next week against Ireland to show what they have done in the last few weeks and really push their claims forward for selection in the squad.”
Wales’ RWC training squad
Forwards (25):
Rob Evans (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Paul James (Bath Rugby), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), Richard Hibbard (Gloucester Rugby), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Racing Metro), Dominic Day (Bath Rugby), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Rory Thornton (Ospreys), Dan Baker (Ospreys), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (CAPT – Cardiff Blues).
Backs (22):
Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), James Hook (Gloucester Rugby), Matthew Morgan (Bristol Rugby), Rhys Patchell (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Jack Dixon (Newport Gwent Dragons), Tyler Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon), Tom James (Exeter Chiefs), George North (Northampton Saints), Eli Walker (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Scarlets).
Ireland warm-up game will be last chance saloon for at least 9 Welsh World Cup hopefuls
WALES HEAD COACH Warren Gatland hinted that he may include injured prop Samson Lee in his 31-man squad for the Rugby World Cup.
The 22-year-old tighthead sustained an Achilles tendon injury during the Six Nations and has long been marked as having a ’50-50′ chance of making the tournament in England.
However, with just 50 days to go before the big kick-off, Gatland is considering gambling on the prop’s fitness in the hope of having him available in time for Wales’ second game against England and the final group fixture against Australia.
“He’s doing pretty well but it’s touch and go in terms of the World Cup squad,” Gatland told Sky Sports News this morning.
Nine days out from the opening warm-up fixture against Ireland, Gatland is also without Scarlets’ Liam Williams who will miss all three pre-World Cup games with a broken foot.
For the home leg against Ireland, the Kiwi will allow room for experimentation as he will cut his current 47-man squad by up to 11 following the 8 August Test.
“A number of younger players in the squad will have an opportunity next week against Ireland to show what they have done in the last few weeks and really push their claims forward for selection in the squad.”
Wales’ RWC training squad
Forwards (25):
Rob Evans (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Paul James (Bath Rugby), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), Richard Hibbard (Gloucester Rugby), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Racing Metro), Dominic Day (Bath Rugby), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Rory Thornton (Ospreys), Dan Baker (Ospreys), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (CAPT – Cardiff Blues).
Backs (22):
Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), James Hook (Gloucester Rugby), Matthew Morgan (Bristol Rugby), Rhys Patchell (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Jack Dixon (Newport Gwent Dragons), Tyler Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon), Tom James (Exeter Chiefs), George North (Northampton Saints), Eli Walker (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Scarlets).
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