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Wales name 38-man squad for the Six Nations

New Wales boss Wayne Pivac has named his Six Nations squad (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Wales head coach Wayne Pivac has named his first Guinness Six Nations squad which features 38 players, including five uncapped. 

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Prop WillGriff John, second row Will Rowlands, centre Nick Tompkins and back three duo Johnny McNicholl and Louis Rees-Zammit are all included for Wales’ 2020 campaign as they look to defend their Grand Slam and Six Nations title.

Rhys Carre, Rob Evans and Wyn Jones are the three looseheads named with Leon Brown, Dillon Lewis and John the three tightheads. Elliot Dee, Ryan Elias and Ken Owens are the hookers included. Jake Ball, Adam Beard, Seb Davies, captain Alun Wyn Jones, Cory Hill and Rowlands are named as the second rows.

Taulupe Faletau returns from injury to be included (Faletau’s last Wales appearance was in the Six Nations two years ago) along with back row options of Aaron Shingler, Aaron Wainwright, Ross Moriarty, Josh Navidi and Justin Tipuric.

Gareth Davies, Tomos Williams and Rhys Webb, who last played for Wales in December 2017, are named as the three scrum-halves. Dan Biggar, Jarrod Evans and Owen Williams are included, Williams’ last appearance also coming in the autumn of 2017.

(Continue reading below…)

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Backline options see the uncapped trio of Tompkins, Rees-Zammit and McNicholl (who made his first appearance for Wales in the uncapped match against the Barbarians in November) join the experienced group of Hadleigh Parkes, Owen Watkin, George North, Josh Adams, Owen Lane, Jonah Holmes, Leigh Halfpenny and Liam Williams. 

“We are really excited to be naming our Six Nations squad and kicking the campaign off,” said Wales head coach Wayne Pivac.

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“A lot of time and effort has gone into selecting the squad, all of the coaches have been out and about, seeing players in training, speaking with them and we are pretty excited with the group we have got.

“Looking back to the Barbarians week, that was hugely important for us. We got a lot of ‘firsts’ out of the way, getting to meet and get in front of the players and having a game together was hugely beneficial.

“We do have a couple of injuries but we flip that into seeing it as an opportunity for some new players to impress, with not only the Six Nations in mind but also longer-term and 2023.

“The Six Nations is hugely exciting for me, it is something I grew up watching from afar and it has such history attached to it, I’m really looking forward to the campaign.”

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Wales’ 2020 Six Nations Squad

Forwards (21)

Rhys Carre (Saracens) (6 Caps)

Rob Evans (Scarlets) (36 Caps)

Wyn Jones (Scarlets) (22 Caps)

Elliot Dee (Dragons) (29 Caps)

Ryan Elias (Scarlets) (9 Caps)

Ken Owens (Scarlets) (73 Caps)

Leon Brown (Dragons) (6 Caps)

WillGriff John (Sale) (*uncapped)

Dillon Lewis (Blues) (22 Caps)

Jake Ball (Scarlets) (42 Caps)

Adam Beard (Ospreys) (20 Caps)

Seb Davies (Blues) (7 Caps)

Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) (134 Caps) (CAPTAIN)

Will Rowlands (Wasps) (*uncapped)

Cory Hill (Dragons) (24 Caps)

Aaron Shingler (Scarlets) (26 Caps)

Aaron Wainwright (Dragons) (18 Caps)

Taulupe Faletau (Bath) (72 Caps)

Ross Moriarty (Dragons) (41 Caps)

Josh Navidi (Blues) (23 Caps)

Justin Tipuric (Osprey) (72 Caps)

Backs (17)

Gareth Davies (Scarlets) (51 Caps)

Rhys Webb (Toulon) (31 Caps)

Tomos Williams (Blues) (16 Caps)

Dan Biggar (Northampton) (79 Caps)

Owen Williams (Gloucester) (3 Caps)

Jarrod Evans (Blues) (3 Caps)

Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets) (25 Caps)

Nick Tompkins (Saracens) (*uncapped)

Owen Watkin (Ospreys) (22 Caps)

George North (Ospreys) (91 Caps)

Josh Adams (Blues) (21 Caps)

Owen Lane (Blues) (2 Caps)

Johnny McNicholl (Scarlets) (*uncapped)

Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester) (*uncapped)

Jonah Holmes (Leicester Tigers) (3 Caps)

Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets) (85 Caps)

Liam Williams (Saracens) (62 Caps)

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I
IkeaBoy 3 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.”

Good lad, just checking. So you’re not a bot! Chelsea bombed the 2008 final more than United won it. John Terry… couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.


“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made.”

So the difference between 2021 and 2023 would of course be TWO YEARS. 24 months would account for 3 different seasons. They contested ECL finals twice in two years. The first in 2021 - which they lost - was still the first elite European final in the clubs then 141 year history. Explain clearly how that’s not an achievement? Guess what age he was then…


“I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright.”

I thought you don’t care what certain managers did 10 years ago…

Why would I address Eddie Jones? Why would he be deserving of a single sentence?


“I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.”

So you haven’t watched even a minute of Super Rugby this year?


“lol u really need to chill out”

Simply frightful! If you’re not a bot you’re at least Gen-Z?

171 Go to comments
f
fl 4 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca”

Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.


“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made. With Barcelona, Pep made the semi final four consecutive times - with City he’s managed only 3 in 8 years. This year they didn’t even make the round of 16.


To re-cap, you wrote that Pep “has gotten better with age. By every measure.” There are some measures that support what you’re saying, but the vast majority of the measures that you have highlighted actually show the opposite.


I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.


I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright. You’ve also not addressed Eddie Jones.


I agree wrt Schmidt. He would ideally be retained, but it wouldn’t work to have a remote head coach. He should definitely be hired as a consultant/analyst/selector though.


“Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.”

lol u really need to chill out lad. Kiss and Schmidt would both be great members of the coaching set up in 2025, but it would be ridiculous to bank on either to retain the head coach role until 2031.

171 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 4 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.


His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.


How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.


Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.


His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.


Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.


Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.


Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.

171 Go to comments
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