Tuesday 20 January 2015 20:30, UK
Former U20 World Cup winner Gareth Anscombe has been confirmed as part of Warren Gatland's Wales squad for the Six Nations.
Fly-half Anscombe was part of the New Zealand team that won the tournament four years ago but he is qualified to play for Wales through his mother, and has impressed since joining the Cardiff Blues last summer.
He is one of four uncapped players in Gatland's 34-man squad, along with Scarlets prop Rob Evans, Anscombe's team-mate Kristian Dacey and Newport Gwent Dragons centre Tyler Morgan.
Gatland has also recalled Scott Andrews and Gareth Davies to join the 28 players he had at his disposal for the autumn internationals.
Wales kick off the tournament with a crunch clash against old rivals England at the Millennium Stadium on Friday, February 6.
"It's great to be able to name such an experienced squad that also boasts some exciting young talent,” said Gatland.
"The four uncapped players have all been going well for their respective regions and it will be good to see them in this environment and we hope they take the opportunity. They come into a squad packed with experience and that experience will be important to us over the next eight weeks and the year as a whole.
"We all know how tough the Six Nations is and we kick the tournament off with a huge game against England and that is something you have to be excited about and look forward to.
"We were pleased on the whole with the autumn campaign and this is another opportunity for us as we look ahead to a very big year in the rugby calendar.”
Wales squad:
Forwards: Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Paul James (Bath), Rob Evans (Scarlets), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Scott Andrews (Cardiff Blues), Richard Hibbard (Gloucester), Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Luke Charteris (Racing Metro), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), James King (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, Capt), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Backs: Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Jonathan Davies (Clermont Auvergne), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Tyler Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon).
