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).

    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

      Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Ken Owens (Scarlets) and Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), who injured his shoulder on Sunday, are the hookers.

      Ian Evans (Ospreys) and Lou Reed (Blues), who both featured in the autumn squad, remain in the 35-man group.

      "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).

       

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