Luke Charteris: Lock ready for Wales call if needed

Bath are the fourth club side Luke Charteris has represented

Wales lock Luke Charteris says he does not expect to feature in Wales' 2018 Six Nations squad.

The 34-year-old Bath forward has won 74 caps, but his last international was against France in March 2017.

"I'd like to be there definitely, but the boys went pretty well in the autumn so I don't think there's a desperate need," he said.

"If they make the call, I'll certainly be there," he said ahead of Warren Gatland naming his squad on 16 January.

Charteris and Harlequins centre Jamie Roberts were the main senior players omitted by Wales from their original squad for the Autumn Tests, but Roberts subsequently won a recall.

Alun Wyn Jones, Jake Ball, Cory Hill and Adam Beard were the four locks used by Wales, with Seb Davies switched to number eight for his only appearance.

Ball is out of the Six Nations with a shoulder injury, though the Ospreys' experienced second row Bradley Davies could also bid for a recall.

Charteris is set to make his tenth appearance of the season for Bath against the Scarlets in the European Champions Cup on Friday 12 January, after being rested for the Premiership match at Worcester because of the artificial pitch at Sixways.

Charteris, a member of the 2012 Grand Slam squad, is targeting a Champions Cup winners' medal with the West Country club after being a runner-up with Racing 92.

"It's massive, it's the competition we all wanted to be in and we spent last season trying to get back into it," he said.

"I've had one taste of playing in a final and I'm desperate to get back there and go one better."