Wales, weakened by several absences, head into the Six Nations with a rejuvenated squad around new captain Dafydd Jenkins (21), according to the list announced on Tuesday, without prodigy Louis Rees-Zammit. The winger decided to stop his rugby career to try his luck in the NFL, the North American football league. Head coach Warren Gatland has called up 34 players, including five newcomers, as well as eight others with no experience in the Championship, with an average age of 25.
The New Zealander, already without recently retired Dan Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny, is dealing with an avalanche of injuries that has accelerated the desired rejuvenation ahead of the World Cup. Winger Jac Morgan and hooker Dewi Lake, co-captains at the 2023 World Cup, are missing, as are back-rows Taulupe Faletau and Christ Tshiunza.
🏴 CARFAN CYMRU
👊 🏴Dyma Garfan Cymru ar gyfer y Chwe Gwlad.
#GuinnessM6N
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) January 16, 2024
"For the sake of consistency, we wanted to retain the two players we had named as co-captains at the World Cup, unfortunately they are injured," Gatland told reporters. "I see Daf as a player of the future. I see him as a permanent starter in three years' time," he added in explaining his decision to hand the armband to Exeter Chiefs second-row Dafydd Jenkins.
However, Gatland's newfound impetus was thwarted by Tuesday's surprise announcement by Welsh rugby phenom Louis Rees-Zammit. The new generation embodied by Sam Costelow (8 caps), the Scarlets' fly-half, is nevertheless supervised by some experienced players, led by Geoge North (118 caps), future player of Aix-en-Provence (Pro D2), but also Gareth Davies (74 caps), Josh Adams (53 caps), Tomos Williams (53 caps) and Adam Beard (51 caps).
Fifth and penultimate in the last two editions but quarter-finalists of the last World Cup, beaten by Argentina, Wales will kick off their Tournament on Saturday 3 February against Scotland in a sold-out Cardiff Millennium.
Wales' Six Nations squad:
Forwards (19): Corey Domachowski (Cardiff), Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Elliot Dee (Dragons), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Evan Lloyd (Cardiff), Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff), Leon Brown (Dragons), Archie Griffin (Bath), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), Will Rowlands (Racing 92/FRA), Teddy Williams (Cardiff), Taine Basham (Dragons), James Botham (Cardiff), Alex Mann (Cardiff), Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers/ENG), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons).
Backs (15): Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Kieran Hardy (Scarlets), Tomos Williams (Cardiff), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Cai Evans (Dragons), Ioan Lloyd (Scarlets), Mason Grady (Cardiff), George North (Ospreys), Joe Roberts (Scarlets), Nick Tompkins (Saracens), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Josh Adams (Cardiff), Rio Dyer (Dragons), Tom Rogers (Scarlets), Cameron Winnett (Cardiff).