for second division French club Tarbes, retains the captaincy in the Welsh Six Nations squad named by coach Steve Hansen today.
World Cup skipper Colin Charvis, currently playing for second division French club Tarbes, retains the captaincy in the Welsh Six Nations squad named by coach Steve Hansen today.
Wales, hoping to build on encouraging displays in the World Cup against New Zealand and England, kick off their Six Nations campaign at home to Scotland on February 14th.
Only two of the squad - Charvis and Leeds back-row forward Alix Popham - are not involved in Wales' new regional set-up.
It is Hansen's last season in charge before returning home to New Zealand, where he is expected to become All Blacks supremo Graham Henry's assistant coach.
European quarter-finalists Llanelli provide seven squad members, as do Cardiff Blues, while there are eight Celtic Warriors representatives and five from Neath-Swansea Ospreys. Hal Luscombe and Michael Owen fly the Gwent Dragons' flag. Rhys Williams, Garan Evans and Gareth Thomas would appear to be the full-back options, with Kevin Morgan currently sidelined through an ankle injury.
"We are happy with the form of all the players, and the more competition we have the better it is," Hansen said. "The process has been made more difficult than normal due to the number of players who have been in good form throughout the regions. But rather than seeing this as a negative, we look at that as a positive." Wales' squad:
Backs: Garan Evans (Llanelli Scarlets), Rhys Williams (Cardiff Blues), Shane Williams (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), Craig Morgan (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Thomas (Celtic Warriors), Hal Luscombe (Gwent Dragons), Jamie Robinson (Blues), Mark Taylor (Scarlets), Tom Shanklin (Blues), Sonny Parker (Warriors), Iestyn Harris (Blues), Ceri Sweeney (Warriors), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Dwayne Peel (Scarlets), Gareth Cooper (Warriors)
Forwards: Iestyn Thomas (Scarlets), Duncan Jones (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), G Jenkins (Warriors), Robin McBryde (Scarlets), Gareth Williams (Blues), Mefin Davies (Warriors), Robert Sidoli (Warriors), Brent Cockbain (Warriors), Gareth Llewellyn (Ospreys), Michael Owen (Dragons), Colin Charvis (Tarbes, FRA, capt), Dafydd Jones (Scarlets), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Martyn Williams (Blues), Alix Popham (Leeds)