Webb and Faletau return to Wales fold ahead of Six Nations

Wales will be boosted by the return of Rhys Webb and Taulupe Faletau to the international scene, as head coach Wayne Pivac named his 38-man squad for the defence of their Six Nations title. [more]

Webb and Faletau return to Wales fold ahead of Six Nations

Webb – who played a major role on his first Lions tour in 2017 – is now eligible for selection and has been named one of three scrum-halves following the announcement he will re-join Ospreys next season.

Faletau has been absent from international rugby since March 2018 and gets the chance to showcase the form that earned him 13 Lions appearances.

Lions pedigree is prominent through the Wales team, with skipper Alun Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Ross Moriarty, Justin Tipuric, Dan Biggar, George North, Leigh Halfpenny and Liam Williams also featuring.

Pivac insists he can’t wait to get his first taste of Six Nations action.

“We are really excited to be naming our Six Nations squad and kicking the campaign off,” he said.

“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.”

A string of injuries to the likes of Jonathan Davies have opened up opportunities for five uncapped players.

Prop WillGriff John, second-row Will Rowlands, centre Nick Tompkins and back-three duo Johnny McNicholl and Louis Rees-Zammit will all look to make their mark in the 2020 Championship.

 

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) CAPTAIN – 134 Caps

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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