Rugby World Cup 2019: Wales call up uncapped Carre and Lane to squad
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Warren Gatland took over as Wales coach after they failed to make it out of their Pool at the 2007 World Cup
Uncapped Cardiff Blues prop Rhys Carre has been named in the extended Wales squad who will prepare for the World Cup later this year in Japan.
Back-row forwards Aaron Shingler, Taulupe Faletau and Josh Navidi are included in anticipation of their returns from injuries before the tournament.
Uncapped Blues wing Owen Lane is also included in the 42-man squad.
Carre, 21, will join Saracens from Blues at the end of the season.
Wales coach Warren Gatland said: "We have been really impressed with Rhys and with Owen. They have both been on our succession plan for a while and it will be good to have them in camp with us and to see what they are able to do."
Wasps flanker Thomas Young, who was involved in the 2019 Six Nations, is omitted, while Scarlets rival James Davies is recalled after injury.
Young is now injured, as is Blues open-side Ellis Jenkins and both may yet return to fitness and come back into contention to go to Japan.
Ospreys lock Bradley Davies is also back following an injury-disrupted season.
Wales World Cup fixtures - Pool D |
|---|
Mon, 23 Sept: Wales v Georgia, City of Toyota Stadium, Toyota City (11:15 BST) |
Sun, 29 Sept: Wales v Australia, Toyota Stadium, Tokyo (08:45 BST) |
Wed, 9 Oct: Wales v Fiji, Oita Stadium, Oita (10:45 BST) |
Sun, 13 Oct: Wales v Uruguay, Kumamoto Prefectural Athletic Stadium, Kumamoto City (09:15 BST) |
Gatland added: "We've named a 42-man squad, packed with experience. A good number of the Grand Slam-winning squad are in there plus some players who have returned from injury.
"The last couple of years have been about building depth and exposing players and we have done that well so we have kept the numbers down to make the squad as manageable as possible.
"There are a couple of players on the injury list at the moment we could add into the squad at a later date depending on their recovery."
Ahead of his summer move to Saracens, Gatland says Carre is eligible for Wales and not captured by the 60-cap rule because he has not been been capped before.
The Wales coach said the situation of Toulon scrum-half Rhys Webb had not changed with the British and Irish Lions number nine still ineligible, although Gatland stated he hopes common sense could prevail if there were a couple of injuries.
Warren Gatland says it is 'disappointing' Wales will be losing the experience of forwards coach Robin McBryde
Gatland is confident Wales' English-based players will be available for training camps in June and July.
Premiership Rugby, who represent the English clubs, said in December 2018 they could only release non-English players for World Cup squads 35 days before the tournament begins in a dispute over World Rugby's insurance rules.
That would rule Faletau, Dan Biggar, Liam Williams, Tomas Francis and Jonah Holmes out of the camp in Switzerland and the warm-up match against England on 11 August.
"Conversations have already taken place," added Gatland.
"The people that have been part of those conversations have assured me that we will have full release for our players."
Gatland is set to name his final 31-man party during the week of the second Ireland game which takes place on 7 September.
Wales' World Cup opens against Georgia in Tokyo on Monday, 23 September. They will go on to play Australia, Fiji and Uruguay in Pool D.
Wales' busy summer of preparation includes training camp trips to Switzerland and Turkey and four home-and-away warm-up Tests against England and Ireland in August and September.
Their best World Cup finish came at the inaugural 1987 tournament when they beat Australia in the third-place play-off in Rotorua, New Zealand.
They next made the last four under Gatland in 2011, losing the New Zealand tournament's third-place play-off against the Wallabies.
In 2015 Gatland's side helped end hosts England's hopes at the group stage, but were beaten by South Africa at Twickenham in the quarter-finals.
Gatland will leave the role following his third tournament in charge with fellow New Zealander, Scarlets boss Wayne Pivac taking over.
Forwards: Leon Brown (Dragons), Rhys Carre (Cardiff Blues), Rob Evans (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Exeter), Wyn Jones (Scarlets), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues), Nicky Smith (Ospreys) , Elliot Dee (Dragons), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Ospreys), Cory Hill (Dragons), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), James Davies (Scarlets), Taulupe Faletau (Bath), Ross Moriarty (Dragons), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons).
Backs: Aled Davies (Ospreys), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Tomos Williams (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints), Jarrod Evans (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Patchell (Scarlets), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Scott Williams (Ospreys), Josh Adams (Worcester Warriors), Hallam Amos (Dragons), Steff Evans (Scarlets), Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets), Owen Lane (Cardiff Blues), George North (Ospreys), Jonah Holmes (Leicester Tigers), Liam Williams (Saracens).