Wales Squad for 2013 Six Nations

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Six Nations 2013: Wales name five uncapped players


Wales interim coach Rob Howley has named five uncapped players in a 35-man squad for the RBS Six Nations.
With four front-line locks ruled out with injury, James King (Ospreys) and Andrew Coombs (Dragons) have been called up for the first time.

They are joined by Blues back-rowers Josh Navidi and South Africa-born Andries Pretorius, who qualifies on residency, and Ospreys wing Eli Walker.
Alun Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris, Dan Lydiate and Bradley Davies are injured.
Charteris is out for the season, but Davies, Wyn Jones and Lydiate could return for the latter stages of the tournament for the defending champions.
Wales Six Nations fixtures


v Ireland - 2 February, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (13:30 GMT)
v France - 9 February, Stade de France, Paris (17:00 GMT)
v Italy - 23 February, Stadio Olimpico, Rome (14:30 GMT)
v Scotland - 9 March, Murrayfield, Edinburgh (14:30 GMT)
v England - 16 March, Twickenham, London (17:00 GMT)


Versatile forward Ryan Jones has been included despite dislocating his thumb on Sunday, raising doubts over his availability for the opener against Ireland in Cardiff on 2 February.

Back in the squad is full-back Lee Byrne of Clermont Auvergne, who was overlooked for the autumn internationals, but there is no place for 19-year-old Blues fly-half Rhys Patchell.

Howley has named an experienced contingent in the front row, which is bolstered by the return to fitness of Adam Jones (Ospreys) and Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs), who feature alongside Gethin Jenkins (Toulon), Paul James (Bath), Scott Andrews (Blues) and Ryan Bevington (Ospreys).


"We have put together a very experienced squad and complemented that by rewarding the in-form players with a call-up," said Howley.

"The players in the squad have been playing really well and we have been pleased with their individual performances.

"We have a group of players who know how to win big matches and have experienced success. We are adding to that players who have stood out and performed well for the regions this season."
King, a former Wales Under-20s cap, has impressed for Ospreys this season and will vie for a second-row berth with 28-year-old Coombs.

In the back row, Sam Warburton, who has been named as captain, is selected alongside the experienced Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Toby Faletau (Dragons), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets) and Josh Turnbull (Scarlets).

In the backline Mike Phillips (Bayonne), Lloyd Williams (Blues) and Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets) will contest the number nine jersey. They will be joined at half-back by Dan Biggar (Ospreys) and James Hook (Perpignan), with Rhys Priestland (Scarlets) unavailable for selection because of injury.
The 2012 Grand Slam Champions begin the defence of their title against Ireland at the Millennium Stadium, before facing France in Paris the following weekend.


WALES SQUAD:

Forwards:
Scott Andrews (Blues), Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs), Adam Jones (Ospreys) Paul James (Bath), Gethin Jenkins (Toulon), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Ryan Jones (Ospreys) Lou Reed (Blues), Ian Evans (Ospreys), James King (Ospreys), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), Josh Navidi (Blues), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Scarlets), Toby Faletau (Dragons), Andries Pretorius (Blues)

Backs:
Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Bayonne), Lloyd Williams (Blues), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), James Hook (Perpignan), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Blues), Scott Williams (Scarlets) Alex Cuthbert (Blues), George North (Scarlets), Eli Walker (Ospreys), Leigh Halfpenny (Blues), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Lee Byrne (Clermont).



Injured Wales players

Ashley Beck (centre) - will miss first two Six Nations games
Huw Bennett (hooker) - targeting return in February
Luke Charteris (lock) - out for the season
Bradley Davies (lock) - unlikely to feature in Six Nations
Ian Evans (lock) - expected to be fit for the Six Nations
James Hook (fly-half) - expected to be fit for Six Nations
Aaron Jarvis (prop) - out for the season
Alun Wyn Jones (lock) - will miss start of Six Nations
Ryan Jones (lock/back-row) - expected to miss start of Six Nations
Dan Lydiate (flanker) - set to return in February
Rhys Priestland (fly-half) - out for the season
Aaron Shingler (flanker) - set to return in January

Ireland at home is a great opportunity and may yet turn out to be a blessing in disguise to help get our confidence back with France away being a relatively low pressure game due to expectations- We have enough power up front and behind to win this well and a triple crown is certainly not beyond us - I'd like to see some more vocal leadership on the field from senior players in addition to a game plan and a powerful and dynamic 80 minutes. Get amongst them boys

But Howley is in charge. They have got worse and worse during his tenure.

Glas a du wrote:But Howley is in charge. They have got worse and worse during his tenure.

I agree - Im just hoping we've bottomed out and the the only way is up

RubyGuby wrote:

Glas a du wrote:But Howley is in charge. They have got worse and worse during his tenure.

I agree - Im just hoping we've bottomed out and the the only way is up

We all are.

Olly Kohn is called up then. That's a kick in the face for talented locks like me. My boots are getting chucked in the River Ebbw now. Stuff you International rugby.

Who's he replacing in the squad?

They thought of adding an extra place in case somebody got injured or England decided to call him up. He'll never actually be capped.

I think they should have called up Ian Gough instead.

Yeh, I was about to mention Ian Gough. He's a good physcial presence, but would also provide that experience. Surely more valuable?

bluestonevedder wrote:Yeh, I was about to mention Ian Gough. He's a good physcial presence, but would also provide that experience. Surely more valuable?

+2

An extra prop. Any scrum with a bit of Goughy-ballast almost always gains the 'ascendancy'.

How old is Goughy now? He might be more important to the Ospreys right now, he could even be the captain during the time all your other players are called up.

bluestonevedder wrote:Yeh, I was about to mention Ian Gough. He's a good physcial presence, but would also provide that experience. Surely more valuable?

I think Kohn has been a better player than Gough this season. Quins are playing great rugby with a fearsome pack.

I am not moaning about Kohn being called up for Wales. But i was of the understanding that once the squad has been named, then only if some one in the squad got injured could some one else be called up.

So my question is who has been injured recently?

Maj - Your question should be - who hasn't been injured - At the moment coaches are allowed to call up anyone they want although Ian Evans and Ryan Jones remain injured at present.

majesticimperialman wrote:I am not moaning about Kohn being called up for Wales. But i was of the understanding that once the squad has been named, then only if some one in the squad got injured could some one else be called up.

So my question is who has been injured recently?

Nope.

At a RWC then a limited number squad is announced, for the six nations there is not a registered limit. That is why different nations pick different sized squads.

maestegmafia wrote:

majesticimperialman wrote:I am not moaning about Kohn being called up for Wales. But i was of the understanding that once the squad has been named, then only if some one in the squad got injured could some one else be called up.

So my question is who has been injured recently?

Nope.

At a RWC then a limited number squad is announced, for the six nations there is not a registered limit. That is why different nations pick different sized squads.

Cheers for maes. I thought it was the same in every international tournament.( the squad named and that is it)
didn't realise it was different for the 6ns.

Yet another stupid as selection in Howleys list of selections.

If he wanted to add experience to the squad then as mentioned he should have called up Goughie he has at least proved he can play at this level.

If he starts then at 20+ stone he will be doing the lifting not jumping I assume, he could launch Tipuric skyward at vast rate of nots.

Any odds on him being another Will James.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Yet another stupid as selection in Howleys list of selections.

If he wanted to add experience to the squad then as mentioned he should have called up Goughie he has at least proved he can play at this level.

If he starts then at 20+ stone he will be doing the lifting not jumping I assume, he could launch Tipuric skyward at vast rate of nots.

Any odds on him being another Will James.

Kohn is a good player, better than Gough. If he had wanted a Welsh player that had declared himself to Wales more than a week ago they should ha r picked your Adam Jones. I would have had him above Lou Reed.

I don't think Kohnwill let Wales down. He looks very good for Quins.

Maes,

Will James looked good for Gloucester, Gough wouldn't have let us down either and is proven at this level.

Luke Charteris is 20 stone, yet they don't seem to have a problem lifting him. Maybe it's 'cos he looks lighter?

I say give the guy a go. At least he has vast club experience. A number of the players mentioned instead (King, Peers, etc.) are fairly new to club rugby (pro rugby) so they may be even more risky. Get them in the 'environment' though, so that they can start learning. Goughie would get my nod too for the same experience reason, although at his age he may be struggling a bit more than Kohn at 31 in terms of keeping up with the pace. 1 half each???

bedfordwelsh wrote:Maes,

Will James looked good for Gloucester, Gough wouldn't have let us down either and is proven at this level.

Gloucester werent ever as good as this Quins team are mate... Gough was a proven performer but his last cap was what four years ago?

People have often criticized Howley for lacking minerals, I think this is a brave call and a good one. I think Gatland would have definitely called him up. It seems crazy to me not to have a look at Kohn, given his size and reputation when we are so depleted in the lock position. The Will James experiment is irrelevant.
At 31 he is not too old. His physical presence allows us to play Ryan Jones at lock and Shingler, King or Warbs at 6.

Personally, I think comparing Kohn to Will James makes you quite a dull person.

Why? Will James was like the Chief. Looked good for his club but seemed very much out if his depth on the International field. Kohn may be the same or may be not, so how is it silly to suggest that he might be?

Well for a start, he's not Will James....

So any comparison of players is invalid?

Morgannwg wrote:Personally, I think comparing Kohn to Will James makes you quite a dull person.

That's a bit harsh, when I appear to be agreeing with you.

He's also dull Norfolk

RubyGuby wrote:He's also dull Norfolk

Glas a du wrote:So any comparison of players is invalid?

No, just the principles of comparison. Will James got called into an understrength team under a clueless monkey and was one of many lambs to the Twickenham slaughter, courtesy of a powerful England unit. Therefore Olly Kohn is going to be rubbish. Yeah that makes sense mind.

Morgannwg wrote:

Glas a du wrote:So any comparison of players is invalid?

No, just the principles of comparison. Will James got called into an understrength team under a clueless monkey and was one of many lambs to the Twickenham slaughter, courtesy of a powerful England unit. Therefore Olly Kohn is going to be rubbish. Yeah that makes sense mind.

I said all that in 6 words.

Is there some elaborate hoax going on between you and Guby? I don't understand.

Morgannwg wrote:Is there some elaborate hoax going on between you and Guby? I don't understand.

That makes you dull as well

Morg's lecturers say otherwise. And you?

Kohn for IRB player of the year.

Morgannwg wrote:Morg's lecturers say otherwise. And you?

Kohn for IRB player of the year.

What are you not getting Morg - I'm only dipping in and out of these mails whilst writing a report. What don't you understand with what I've written

Morgannwg wrote:Wow, lasses in their internet bubble. Worst idea since allowing them to vote. What other emoticons have you picked up anyway? Maybe next time we can move up a level and onto talking about rugby. Although if you, Sonia and the likes are anything to go by, that won't end well.

That's just plain nasty. I made a valid point and you called me stupid and now you're embarrassing yourself with old school
sexism. Your lecturers must be so proud! You've lost a lot of credibility here. Shame on you.

No they aren't embarrassed. I am sorry, I should have edited it out or not said it at all. I also see, after scrolling up, that you did sum up what I said in 5 words. I just had to explain it further though (for the dull people) .

Well I still don't understand you.

Hmm, is ignorance worse than revelling in it?

Okay so we're all agreed Will James and Olly Kohn pack down against Ireland

Norfolklass wrote:People have often criticized Howley for lacking minerals, I think this is a brave call and a good one. I think Gatland would have definitely called him up. It seems crazy to me not to have a look at Kohn, given his size and reputation when we are so depleted in the lock position. The Will James experiment is irrelevant.
At 31 he is not too old. His physical presence allows us to play Ryan Jones at lock and Shingler, King or Warbs at 6.

He has all the attributes we didnt have prior.

I would be happier with Kohn and Coombs and King on the bench than having Reed instead of Kohn.

This is all supposing Ian Evans needs a few more games to get fit...!

OK

By JPR Williams
The Telegraph 26th Jan 2013


As a Welshman, I have to admit that I am looking ahead to the Six Nations Championship with a degree of trepidation.

Understandable really when you consider what has befallen the national side since the end of last season.

It is barely 10 months since I was raising a glass to a job really well done by Warren Gatland’s side. They were a competent, passionate, ingenious side, fully deserving of the crown. To land a Championship Slam by winning away in Dublin and at Twickenham, is no mean feat.

Fast forward to January 2013 and it is a very different story. One victory, albeit against a Barbarians side that is not what it once was, and seven successive defeats have left us wondering whether this season will see a whitewash of a different sort.

Yes, injuries have hurt us badly and that continues to be an issue for the coaches as they count down to the visit of Ireland in six days’ time.

The second row has been decimated, the choice at outside-half is limited, our strike runners have all been laid low at one stage or another and last season’s Championship player of the year, Dan Lydiate, has yet to return from the ankle he broke at the end of September. Add to that, a Championship programme that includes three successive away games between Ireland and England in Cardiff, and it is easy to see exactly why there is a pessimistic feel among a large section of the Welsh support.

To my mind, we cannot just hide behind an injury list that will hopefully shorten this week with the news that Ryan Jones is fit to take his place somewhere in the second or back row. Our kicking game was poor in the autumn, we have lost the ability to close off games from positions of promise and we have an interim coach who in the eyes of many a Welsh supporter is struggling to galvanise the squad. I am sure there is a good reason why the Lions coach of next summer is unable to carry out his duties as national coach during the Championship, but if there is, will someone tell me why. I do not subscribe to the view that just because he is the Lions coach, he cannot carry on regardless. It is not as if he will not see the other players throughout the Championship or has not been watching them all season, is it?

But if it is, should not Rob Howley be in the same boat too?

Anyway, however Wales and the Lions try to justify this, it is clear that his absence is damaging to the Wales cause. That was evident in the autumn. It has been another contributing factor to the demise.

Gatland’s class of 2012 were a decent bunch and they knew how to win games. Remember the final four minutes against France in Cardiff. There was no way that France were ever going to wrestle the ball off our forwards. They held it firm at their feet and saw the clock countdown to referee Craig Joubert’s final whistle. Great stuff. As good as any free-flowing move behind the scrum. Proud to be a Welshman.

In the games since, we have allowed those chances to pass us by and it is certainly a concern again. Without the key members of our second and back rows and without a controlling force at No 10, it could be a different story. Which brings me nicely on to the fly-half debate and the one issue that stirs the emotion more than any in Welsh sport.

With Rhys Priestland sidelined, there had to be a change from last season. But I think the inevitable choice of Dan Biggar is slightly misguided. What has James Hook done wrong? I feel he has been treated harshly by the coaches, for some reason or another. He is highly rated in France yet over here, he spends most of his time on the bench.

And even when he comes on, he is asked to play in positions that, while not being alien to him, are clearly not of his choice. For me, Hook should start at No 10.

On a positive note, it is great to see Lee Byrne back in the squad, although I am not sure whether he will get a place in the starting line-up. Having said that, I do believe that if his form in France for Clermont Auvergne counts for anything, he could find himself on the bench for Wales but on the plane to Australia in June.

It is an area where we do have strength in depth and one that will cause some concern for an Irish side desperate to avenge last season’s defeat at the hands of Wales in Dublin. I was reminded of that wonderful victory in Ireland last year by one or two fans at this week’s Barbarians’ reunion dinner in London. Five of us from the side of 1973 – myself, John Pullin, Phil Bennett, Tommy David and John Dawes – were brought together to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Gareth’s wonderful try in that game.

It still amazes me how many people remember the try. That said, it is not a bad thing because when Gareth scored I was still 70 yards behind recovering from Brian Williams’ high tackle. It was great to have been a part of it and let us hope we see a few Welsh tries like that over the coming weeks.

Good analysis on scrum v by Gwyn Jones on the differences in Wales winni g the GS last year and the autumn Internationals.

Six Nations: Wales 'compromised' by Gatland job share - Howley

Rob Howley says Wales' coaching set-up was compromised when he and Warren Gatland shared the job in the autumn.

Wales' interim coach is at the helm for the Six Nations, while Gatland is on British and Irish Lions duty ahead of the summer of 2013 tour to Australia. Howley coached Wales for the two opening defeats by Argentina and Samoa, while Gatland was in charge as they lost to New Zealand and Australia. “I think the clarity we have going into the Six Nations is now there” Rob Howley Wales' interim coach "We got on with it to the best we could," said Howley. "It was not the ideal circumstance and that was the way it was." After seeing Wales lose to the Pumas and the Islanders, Howley stepped aside as Gatland completed his scheduled return to Wales duties.

Howley is now in charge for the whole of the 2013 Six Nations campaign before joining Gatland as an assistant down under and believes the lack of coaching continuity during the autumn had an impact on Wales' performance. Wales' four autumn defeats contributed to a seven-match losing streak, the worst run of defeats since they lost eight games in 2004/05.

"I think we could have probably compromised all the coaches in terms of losing a coach of Warren Gatland's calibre and experience," said Howley. "And then regarding the two weeks on and two weeks off, I think the clarity we have going into the Six Nations is now there."

Wales' caretaker coaches
Alex Evans, 1995: Played 4, won 1, lost 3
Dennis John, 1998: Played 2, won 1, lost 1
Lynn Howells, 2001: Played 2, won 2, lost 0
Scott Johnson, 2006: Played 3, drew 1, lost 2
Nigel Davies, 2007: Played 1, lost 1
Robin McBryde, 2009: Played 2, won 2
Robert Howley, 2012-13: Played 5, won 1 lost 4
*Correct at 24 January, 2013

Gatland was appointed head coach for the Lions back in September 2012 and he was expected to relinquish his role with Wales and not be available for their Grand Slam defence. But he reached an agreement with the Lions that allowed him to coach Wales in their final two autumn internationals against the All Blacks and the Wallabies.

Howley has also drafted in Scarlets skills coach Mark Jones (backs) to join Shaun Edwards (defence), Neil Jenkins (skills) and Robin McBryde (forwards) in his backroom team for the tournament.

Jones, 33, will return to the Scarlets after the Six Nations, but will be part of Wales' coaching team for the two-Test summer tour of Japan. McBryde will take charge for the tour to Japan, with Edwards, Jenkins and Jones as his backroom team.

After the Lions tour Gatland is scheduled to return to the Wales role after signing a contract with the Welsh Rugby Union to the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England.

Wales kick off the defence of their 2012 Grand Slam with the visit of Ireland to the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, 2 February.

So beating the BaBaas is now a notable achievement? Come off it!