TWO Newcastle Emlyn rugby players will represent their country on the biggest stage – at the Rugby World Cup!
Gareth Davies and Gareth Thomas have both been selected as part of Wales’ 33-man squad for next month’s world cup in France.
29-year-old prop Thomas will be looking to add to his 22 caps when he gets an opportunity in the pack, whilst 33-year-old Davies will be looking to add to his 69 caps as scrum half in his third Rugby World Cup.
Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan have been selected to co-captain Wales at their first Rugby World Cup.
Centre George North, Wales’ most-capped senior men’s back with 114 appearances, will compete in his fourth Rugby World Cup.
Fly-half Dan Biggar, Wales’ second most-capped back behind North with 109 appearances, tighthead prop Tomas Francis, blindside flanker Dan Lydiate and full-backs Leigh Halfpenny and Liam Williams will all join Davies as they compete in their third Rugby World Cup.
Loosehead prop Corey Domachowski (Cardiff Rugby) and tighthead prop Henry Thomas (Montpellier) are included having won their first senior caps for Wales during the Summer Series matches this August.
Twenty-year old second row Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs) is the youngest member of the squad.
“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,” said Gatland.
“Over the past three months the whole group of 48 players in the wider training squad has been outstanding in terms of attitude and effort, so having to reduce the squad down to the final 33 has been really hard and 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 3 September 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’d like to congratulate them all on the achievement.”
Wales squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup
FORWARDS (19)
Taine Basham
Adam Beard
Elliot Dee
Corey Domachowski
Ryan Elias
Taulupe Faletau
Tomas Francis
Dafydd Jenkins
Dewi Lake
Dillon Lewis
Dan Lydiate
Jac Morgan
Tommy Reffell
Will Rowlands
Nicky Smith
Gareth Thomas
Henry Thomas
Christ Tshiunza
Aaron Wainwright
BACKS (14)
Josh Adams
Gareth Anscombe
Dan Biggar
Sam Costelow
Gareth Davies
Rio Dyer
Mason Grady
Leigh Halfpenny
George North
Louis Rees-Zammit
Nick Tompkins
Johnny Williams
Liam Williams
Tomos Williams
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