26.10.09 Wales Squad for Autumn Series

GATLAND NAMES 29-MAN SQUAD FOR INVERSCO PERPETUAL SERIES '09

 

 

 

Warren Gatland has named a 29-man squad to represent Wales in the Invesco Perpetual Series next month - a grueling, four-match campaign featuring clashes against New Zealand, Samoa, Argentina and Australia on back-to-back weekends at the Millennium Stadium.

 

Dragons back row man Dan Lydiate is on course to become Wales' 1071st capped player after being named as the only uncapped selection in a squad which will be led by Ospreys skipper, and 2008 Grand Slam captain, Ryan Jones.

 

Three of the five players who made their international debuts on Wales' two-Test tour of the USA and Canada this summer are retained - Blues flanker Sam Warburton (1 cap, USA), Scarlets centre Jonathan Davies (2 caps) and Ospreys tight-head Craig Mitchell (2 caps).

 

The other tour debutants, Scarlets full back Daniel Evans and Ospreys centre Jonathan Spratt, miss out. Another summer tourist, 27-year-old Ospreys prop Paul James, impressed tour coach Robin McBryde enough to keep his place in the squad, giving him the chance to add to his one and only cap to date against Romania in the summer of 2003.

 

Sale Sharks scrum-half Dwayne Peel is named despite not being available for the Series opener against the All Blacks on 7 November. That is due to the release policy at his club, a fact well known to Gatland, and he is the only player currently plying his trade outside of Wales to be selected.

 

With 2009 British & Irish Lions scrum half Mike Phillips absent through injury, Peel will contest the scrum-half berth, when available, with Gareth Cooper (Blues) and Martin Roberts (Scarlets).

 

In the forwards, Gatland has been boosted by the timely return from injury of the Blues' Test Lions, Gethin Jenkins and Martyn Williams, and has retained many of the names who have been regular contributors during his two-year reign.

 

Ospreys duo Andrew Bishop and Ian Gough are two of the regulars who have been omitted on this occasion as Gatland remains true to his previous policy of selecting players who have shown good Regional form and keeping his squad as small as possible.

 

"The selection process has been relatively simple for us. Generally we have gone for the incumbents in their positions at Regional level and selection reflects the good form our Welsh sides have shown already this season," said Gatland.

 

"Dan Lydiate is a good example of someone who has let his form do the talking. He deserves his chance, as does Sam Warburton, who also impressed the coaches on tour this summer.

 

"Craig Mitchell keeps his place after making his debut in the USA and, as a recognized tight-head, he is definitely someone we are looking to develop. However, both Gethin Jenkins and Paul James are versatile props who can play on both sides of the scrum.

 

"It's ironic that we will have Dwayne to train with is for three days in Test week, but that he will have to go back to Manchester on match-day. It is a situation we have long been made aware of, accepted a long time ago and have made allowances for."

 

Gatland has referred to this year's Invesco Perpetual Series, against three teams ranked above them in the IRB World rankings and World Cup rivals Samoa, as "the toughest I have come up against during my coaching career".

 

Significantly, Gatland and his Welsh team can count on maximum support for both fixtures as the Millennium Stadium is already a 74.500 sell-out for both games apart from a handful of hospitality places

 

With more than 230,000 tickets for the Series already sold, those remaining for the matches against Samoa and Argentina are available from www.wru.co.uk, Ticketmaster: 08442 777888 and Ticketline: 02920 230130.

 

Tickets for Wales v Samoa on Friday 13 November are priced at £15 for adults and £10 for children and tickets for Wales v Argentina on Saturday 21 November are available at £35, £45, £50 and £55.

 

Fans interested in purchasing hospitality for all games, which ranges from £99 to £279 per person and is now sold on an individual basis, should call the hospitality team on: 08443 722722 or visit www.millenniumstadium.com/hospitality.

 

 

 

Wales Squad for Invesco Perpetual Series '09:

 

 

 

Backs (13): Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Gareth Cooper (Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Leigh Halfpenny (Blues), James Hook (Ospreys), Tom James (Blues), Mark Jones (Scarlets), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Dwayne Peel (Sale Sharks), Jamie Roberts (Blues), Martin Roberts (Scarlets), Tom Shanklin (Blues), Shane Williams (Ospreys).

 

 

 

Forwards (16): Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Dragons), Bradley Davies (Blues), Paul James (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Blues), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dafydd Jones (Scarlets), Duncan Jones (Ospreys), Ryan Jones (Ospreys, captain), Dan Lydiate (Dragons), Craig Mitchell (Ospreys), Andy Powell (Blues), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Blues), Martyn Williams (Blues),

 

 

 

Regional Break Down

 

OSPREYS: Paul James, Duncan Jones, Craig Mitchell, Huw Bennett, Alun Wyn Jones, Jonathan Thomas, Ryan Jones (Captain), Dan Biggar, James Hook, Shane Williams

 

BLUES: Gethin Jenkins, Bradley Davies, Andy Powell, Sam Warburton, Martyn Williams, Gareth Cooper, Jamie Roberts, Tom Shanklin, Tom James, Leigh Halfpenney

 

SCARLETS: Matthew Rees, Dafydd Jones, Martin Roberts, Stephen Jones, Jonathan Davies, Mark Jones

 

DRAGONS: Luke Charteris, Dan Lydiate

 

 

 

Other

 

SALE SHARKS: Dwayne Peel

 

 

 

WALES BIOGS:

 

 

 

BACKS (alphabetical)

 

 

 

Dan BIGGAR (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,063)

 

DoB: 16.10.89. 6'2" / 1.88m. 13st 9lbs / 87kgs

 

International record: 3 caps (W 3; 35 pts - 7C, 7PG)

 

 

 

Gareth COOPER (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 985)

 

DoB: 07.05.79. 5'7" / 1.71m. 13st 6lbs / 85kgs

 

International record: 42 caps (W 20, L 22; 45 pts - 9T)

 

 

 

Jonathan DAVIES (SCARLETS - Cap No 1,066)

 

DoB: 05.04.88. 6'1" / 1.86m. 16st 3lbs / 103kgs

 

International record: 2 caps (W 2; 10 pts - 2T)

 

 

 

Leigh HALFPENNY (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,060)

 

DoB: 22.12.88. 5'10" / 1.77m. 13st 1lb / 83kgs

 

International record: 6 caps (W 3, L 3; 26 pts - 4T, 2PG)

 

 

 

James HOOK (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,047)

 

DoB: 27.06.85. 6'0" / 1.83m. 14st 12lbs / 94kgs

 

International record: 33 caps (W 14, L 18, D 1; 209 pts - 6T,34C,35PG,2DG)

 

 

 

Tom JAMES (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,055)

 

DoB: 17.04.87. 6'2" / 1.88m. 15st 1lb / 96kgs

 

International record: 5 caps (W 2, L 3; 10 pts - 2T)

 

 

 

Mark JONES (SCARLETS - Cap No 984)

 

DoB: 07.11.79. 6'2" / 1.88m. 15st 0lbs / 95kgs

 

International record: 47 caps (W 22, L 23, D 2; 65 pts - 13T)

 

 

 

Stephen JONES (SCARLETS - Cap No 966)

 

DoB: 08.12.77. 6'1" / 1.86m. 14st 12lbs / 94kgs

 

International record: 80 caps (W36, L41, D2; 693 pts - 6T,117C,138PG,5DG)

 

 

 

Dwayne PEEL (SALE SHARKS - Cap No 994)

 

DoB: 31.08.81. 5'9" / 1.76m. 13st 8lbs / 86kgs

 

International record: 69 caps (W 32, L 35, D 2; 25 pts - 5T)

 

 

 

Jamie ROBERTS (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,057)

 

DoB: 08.11.86. 6'4" / 1.93m. 16st 10lbs / 107kgs

 

International record: 12 caps (W 6, L 6; 5 pts - 1T)

 

 

 

Martin ROBERTS (SCARLETS - Cap No 1,062)

 

DoB: 06.06.86. 5'9" / 1.76m. 12st 1lb / 77kgs

 

International record: 1 cap (W 1)

 

 

 

Tom SHANKLIN (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 993)

 

DoB: 24.11.79. 6'2" / 1.88m. 15st 9lbs / 99kgs

 

International record: 63 caps (W 30, L 32, D 1; 100 pts - 20T)

 

 

 

Shane WILLIAMS (OSPREYS - Cap No 976)

 

DoB: 26.02.77. 5'7" / 1.71m. 12st 13lbs / 82kgs

 

International record: 65 caps (W 32, L 31, D 2; 230 pts - 46T)

 

 

 

 

 

FORWARDS (alphabetical)

 

 

 

Huw BENNETT (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,017)

 

DoB: 11.06.83. 6'0" / 1.83m. 17st 0lbs / 108kgs

 

International record: 23 caps (W 14, L 9)

 

 

 

Luke CHARTERIS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS - Cap No 1,030)

 

DoB: 09.03.83. 6'9" / 2.06m. 19st 9lbs / 125kgs

 

International record: 14 caps (W 8, L 6)

 

 

 

Bradley DAVIES (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,065)

 

DoB: 09.01.87. 6'6" / 1.98m. 18st 1lb / 115kgs

 

International record: 3 caps (W 3)

 

 

 

Paul JAMES (OSPREYS)

 

DoB: 13.05.82. 6'1". 17st 7lb

 

International record: 1 cap (W 1)

 

 

 

Gethin JENKINS (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,006)

 

DoB: 17.11.80. 6'2" / 1.88m. 18st 13lbs / 120kgs

 

International record: 68 caps (W 29, L 37, D 2; 15 pts - 3T)

 

 

 

Alun-Wyn JONES (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,046)

 

DoB: 19.09.85. 6'5" / 1.96m. 19st 1lbs / 121kgs

 

International record: 31 caps (W 13, L 18; 20 pts - 4T)

 

 

 

Dafydd JONES (SCARLETS - Cap No 1,008)

 

DoB: 24.06.79. 6'3" / 1.90m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs

 

International record: 41 caps (W 19, L 22; 10 pts - 2T)

 

 

 

Duncan JONES (OSPREYS - Cap No 997)

 

DoB: 18.09.78. 6'0" / 1.83m. 17st 8lbs / 112kgs

 

International record: 54 caps (W 25, L 27, D 2)

 

 

 

Ryan JONES (OSPREYS, CAPTAIN - Cap No 1,029)

 

DoB: 13.03.81. 6'5" / 1.96m. 18st 0lbs / 114kgs

 

International record: 33 caps (W 19, L 13, D 1; 5 pts - 1T)

 

 

 

Dan LYDIATE (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS)

 

DoB: 18.12.87. 1.93m / 6'4". 15st 13lbs / 101kgs

 

International record: Uncapped

 

 

 

Craig MITCHELL (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,068)

 

DoB: 03.05.86. 6'1" / 1.85m. 17st 2lbs / 109kgs

 

International record: 2 caps (W 2)

 

 

 

Andy POWELL (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,061)

 

DoB: 23.08.81. 6'4" / 1.94m. 17st 6lbs / 111kgs

 

International record: 8 caps (W 5, L 3)

 

 

 

Matthew REES (SCARLETS - Cap No 1,033)

 

DoB: 09.12.80. 6'0" / 1.83m. 17st 1lbs / 108kgs

 

International record: 30 caps (W 14, L 15, D 1; 10 pts - 2T)

 

 

 

Jonathan THOMAS (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,013)

 

DoB: 27.12.82. 6'5" / 1.96m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs

 

International record: 47 caps (W 23, L 22, D 2; 35 pts - 7T)

 

 

 

Sam WARBURTON (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,070)

 

DoB: 05.10.88. 1.88m / 6'2". 15st 9lbs / 99kgs

 

International record: 1 cap (W 1)

 

 

 

Martyn WILLIAMS (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 944)

 

DoB: 01.09.75. 6'0" / 1.83m. 15st 11lbs / 100kgs

 

International record: 88 caps (W 41, L 44, D 3; 73 pts - 14T, 1DG)

 

 

 

For further information please contact:

 

 

 

Simon Rimmer

 

Wales National Squad Communications Manager

 

WRU Group, Millennium Stadium, Westgate Street, Cardiff CF10 1NS

 

Email (inc blackberry): srimmer@wru.co.uk

 

M: 07825 981 128

 

Tel (switchboard): 02920 822000

 

 

 

 

 

Ends.