Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake have been named as Wales co-captains for the Rugby World Cup. The Ospreys forwards will lead a squad that includes recent international newcomers in wing Rio Dyer, centre Mason Grady and prop Corey Domachowski.
But there is no place for scrumhalf Kieran Hardy, with Wales head coach Warren Gatland deciding to select just two nines in Tomos Williams and Gareth Davies. There is also no place for wing Alex Cuthbert who was due to line up against South Africa on Saturday but was a late withdrawal due to injury, having recently been plagued by knocks.
Gatland has chosen a split of 14 backs and 19 forwards for the tournament, with Fiji looming as opening opponents in Bordeaux on September 10th.
Outhalf Gareth Anscombe and number eight Taulupe Faletau have won Gatland’s vote in the final 33-strong group despite not featuring during Wales’ three-game August schedule due to injuries.
The Counter Ruck: the rugby newsletter from The Irish Times
Unbreakable, a cautionary tale about the heavy toll top-level rugby can take
Jacques Nienaber: ‘It was never the case that Rassie and I didn’t enjoy Munster or Ireland’
Joe Schmidt factor makes Australia game special for Ireland and Andy Farrell
And he has named Lake, who is currently recovering from a knee injury, and his fellow hooker Ryan Elias (hamstring), plus lock Dafydd Jenkins (knee), who at 20 is the squad’s youngest player.
Centre George North, meanwhile, will head to his fourth World Cup, putting himself in illustrious company alongside the likes of Jonny Wilkinson, Brian O’Driscoll, Dan Carter and Richie McCaw.
North and his midfield colleague Grady can also provide wing cover, with Gatland opting for five back-three players – Liam Williams, Leigh Halfpenny, Louis Rees-Zammit, Josh Adams and Dyer.
Also heading to France are Scarlets centre Johnny Williams, who watched the last World Cup four years ago from a hospital bed while he was treated for testicular cancer, Scarlets outhalf Sam Costelow and former England prop Henry Thomas.
Thomas, whose father is from Swansea, won seven England caps in 2013 and 2014, but new World Rugby regulations enable players to appear for another country either of their birth, parent or grandparent provided a minimum three-year period has elapsed since last being selected elsewhere.
Other players from Gatland’s training group who did not make the final squad include Gloucester centre Max Llewellyn, Cardiff prop Keiron Assiratti, Ospreys lock Rhys Davies and Scarlets backrow forward Taine Plumtree.
Gatland said: “The toughest part of the job is always selection and this is particularly the case when it comes to picking a Rugby World Cup squad.
“Over the past three months the whole group of 48 players in the wider training squad have been outstanding in terms of attitude and effort, so having to reduce the squad down to the final 33 has been really hard. There have been some close final decisions in the last 36 hours.
“But we can only take 33 players and those we have selected we think offer a good combination in terms of talent and experience.
“We have a few more training sessions here in Wales before we depart for France on September 3rd and we cannot wait to get out there and get started in this tournament. We look forward to what lies ahead for this group.
“This will be a very proud moment for these players, their families and friends and I would like to congratulate them all on the achievement.”
On appointing Morgan and Lake as co-captains, Gatland added: “They complement each other well. They are good mates as well. It is a good opportunity and something I have never done before. Both of them have a big future ahead of them.”
Morgan, meanwhile, said: “There are loads of experienced players in the squad. There are plenty of leaders in the squad who say their opinion and get stuff going. Dewi is great as a captain. He captained the (Wales) Under-20s. When something needs to be said, he will say it.
“I would never have thought this would have happened four years ago. It is great to be here with Dewi.”
Wales squad
Forwards: Taine Basham, Adam Beard, Elliot Dee, Corey Domachowski, Ryan Elias, Taulupe Faletau, Tomos Francis, Dafydd Jenkins, Dewi Lake (co-captain), Dillon Lewis, Dan Lydiate, Jac Morgan (co-captain), Tommy Reffell, Will Rowlands, Nicky Smith, Gareth Thomas, Henry Thomas, Chris Tshiunza, Aaron Wainwright
Backs: Josh Adams, Gareth Anscombe, Dan Biggar, Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies, Rio Dyer, Mason Grady, Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Louis Rees-Zammit, Nick Tomkins, Johnny Williams, Liam Williams, Tomas Williams.
