Injury-hit Wales blood youngsters for Argentina and South Africa

Injury-hit Wales have been forced to blood
a batch of youngsters for next month’s tour to Argentina and South Africa with new coach Mike Ruddock naming three uncapped players in his squad.

Llanelli Scarlets full-back Barry Davies has gained a place among
the
33-man party along with Newport Gwent Dragons forwards Peter Sidoli
and Jason
Forster.

There is also a recall for Leicester prop Darren Morris, more than
two
years after his last Test match appearance, while highly-rated young
prospects
such as wing Nathan Brew and fly-half Nicky Robinson also gain
chances.

Ruddock, who took over from New Zealander Steve Hansen after the
Six
Nations Championship, has been hit by injuries for the three-Test
trip.
More than a dozen players are sidelined, including Iestyn Harris,
Stephen
Jones, Martyn Williams and Robin McBryde.
“We have a few injury issues which has given the opportunity
for a couple
of players to come into the set-up,” said Ruddock.

“Its a challenging tour, Ill expect the highest standards and
everyone
involved will have to compete for the jersey. I’m sure there’ll be new faces in the starting line-up
providing the new
players reach the standard we want. And the fact that we are able to
bring
new players through at the highest level will undoubtedly pay
dividends in the
future.

“We are always trying to build strength in depth and this is
a chance for
one or two players to rise out of the shadows of others.”

Wales meet Argentina in Tucuman on June 12th and Buenos Aires seven
days
later, followed by South Africa in Pretoria on June 26th.

Wales squad.
Backs
Gareth Thomas (Toulouse), Rhys Williams (Cardiff Blues), Barry
Davies
(Llanelli Scarlets), Shane Williams (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), Nathan
Brew
(Newport Gwent Dragons), Craig Morgan (Cardiff Blues), Sonny Parker
(Celtic
Warriors), Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), Hal Luscombe (Newport Gwent
Dragons),
Gavin Henson (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), Ceri Sweeney (Celtic Warriors),
Nicky
Robinson (Cardiff Blues), Dwayne Peel (Llanelli Scarlets), Michael
Phillips
(Llanelli Scarlets), Andy Williams (Neath-Swansea Ospreys)

Forwards
Iestyn Thomas (Llanelli Scarlets), Gethin Jenkins (Celtic
Warriors), Adam
Jones (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), Duncan Jones (Neath-Swansea Ospreys),
Darren
Morris (Leicester), Mefin Davies (Celtic Warriors), Huw Bennett
(Neath-Swansea
Ospreys), Steven Jones (Newport Gwent Dragons), Brent Cockbain
(Celtic
Warriors), Deiniol Jones (Celtic Warriors), Gareth Llewellyn
(Swansea), Peter
Sidoli (Newport Gwent Dragons), Dafydd Jones (Llanelli Scarlets),
Jonathan
Thomas (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), Jason Forster (Newport Gwent
Dragons), Alix
Popham (Leeds), Colin Charvis (Tarbes, France, capt), Michael Owen
(Newport
Gwent Dragons)

AFP – 2004.