mens
nations-championship
Leicester back rowers Tommy Reffell and Olly Cracknell missed out on selection for the upcoming Wales Nations Championship campaign
Steve Tandy has named a 39-man squad for the games against Japan, New Zealand and Australia and the final match at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham during the finals weekend.
Reffell and Cracknell’s club mates, Aaron Wainwright and Gabe Hamer-Webb, made it.
Meanwhile, the captainless trio of Aneurin Owen, Che Hope and Rhys Barrett have been included in a squad with an average age of 27 and 14 players from England and one in France.
Reffell and Cracknell are both ruled out despite good form for Leicester at Gallagher Prem, while Toby Faletau is another absentee from the back row after returning from injury for Cardiff in the Champions Cup last weekend. Saracens center Nick Tompkins also misses.
Faletau turns 36 in November and hopes to play in his fourth World Cup in Australia next year.
“We’re excited to get going on our three home rounds of competition,” said Tandy.
“The Principality Stadium is a special place to play and it means a lot to the players.
“When we get together as a group next week, all eyes will be on the first game against home Japan and I’m preparing well to give a good show for the fans.”
Cardiff loosehead prop Barrett and Dragons pair Hope and Owen are included for the first time.
Scrum-half Hope gets his chance with Ospreys’ Kieran Hardy facing a long lay-off with a knee injury, while Owen features after shining for the Dragons in the United Rugby Championship.
Cardiff center Ben Thomas has been ruled out with a calf problem but Scarlets outside half Sam Costelow features despite being injured Newcastle last weekend
Liam Belcher, Tomas Francis, Archie Griffin, Louie Hennessey and Dafydd Jenkins return after being unavailable for July’s Nations Championship.
There are also call-ups for Taine Basham, Seb Davies and Rio Dyer.
“It’s great to welcome back players who were unavailable for the first three rounds of the Nations Championship,” added Tandy.
“In addition, there are a number of players who have been in excellent form for their clubs and so we wanted to give them a chance in the squad this autumn.”
Wales team: Forwards: R Barrat, T Basham (both Cardiff), A Beard (Montpellier), L Belcher, J Botham (both Cardiff), R Carre (Saracens), B Carter (Dragons), R Elias (Scarlets), S Davies (Dragons), T Francis (Sale), A Griffin (Bath), K Capt), D Lewis (Dragons), A Mann (Cardiff), J Morgan (Gloucester), T Plumtree (Scarlets), N Smith (Sale), G Thomas (Ospreys). Wainwright (Leicester), T Williams (Cardiff).
Backs: J Adams (Cardiff), S Costelow (Scarlets), R Dyer (Dragons), D Edwards (Ospreys), G Hamer-Webb (Leicester), J Hawkins (Scarlets), L Hennessey (Bath), C Hope (Dragons), E James (Scarlets), M Llewellet (Glouceil M-Scarlets), E. (Ospreys), B Murray (Scarlets), A Owen (Dragons), L Rees-Zammit (Bristol), T Rogers (Ospreys), T Williams (Saracens).