Willis Halaholo: Cardiff centre among Wales players released for weekend games
- Published
Willis Halaholo signed for Cardiff in 2016 and has played nine times for Wales
United Rugby Championship: Cardiff v Zebre |
|---|
Venue: Cardiff Arms Park Date: Friday, 18 February Time: 19:35 GMT |
Coverage: Live on BBC Two Wales, BBC Radio Wales, the BBC Sport website & app. Highlights on Scrum V, Sunday, BBC Two Wales and online, 20 February from 18:00 GMT and later on demand |
Cardiff centre Willis Halaholo is among the players Wales have released to play for their regions this weekend.
Forwards Rhys Carre and James Ratti are also available for Cardiff's match against Zebre on Friday.
Ospreys will have fly-half Gareth Anscombe for Saturday's trip to Leinster, while scrum-half Kieran Hardy returns to Scarlets for their match against Connacht.
Hooker Bradley Roberts is available for Ulster at Dragons on Sunday.
For Halaholo it is a chance to prove his fitness to face England on Saturday, 26 February after a hamstring issue prevented him facing Ireland and Scotland in Wales' Six Nations games to date.
"I think Wayne [Pivac, Wales head coach] said last week was a bit touch and go but I'm sure he sees this is an opportunity to show everybody he's 100% fit and to put his hand up for selection," said Cardiff director of rugby Dai Young.
"It's not for me to say about other players - that would be unfair - but I think we've all seen what Willis can bring to the game.
"He's got the ability to give you go-forward, even off slow ball and he's got that valuable commodity of being able to beat people.
"He'll certainly put his hand up for Wayne to look at. From our point of view, we always see Willis as a real attacking weapon for us.
"When we're talking to other coaches in the league, they're always focusing on Willis and all feel he's a threat."
In addition to those released to the Welsh regions, the England-based players in Wales' squad must be available to their clubs at the weekend.
Captain Dan Biggar could face Sale Sharks for Northampton on Saturday, his Wales fly-half rival Callum Sheedy may be involved for Bristol at Worcester on Friday and Nick Tompkins' Saracens are at London Irish on Saturday.
Wing Louis Rees-Zammit, however, can rest as Gloucester are not in action.
What happened to Shergar? A prize-winning super horse is kidnapped from an enigmatic owner
Is this a new alternative to dating apps? Find out the unusual way one man is going about finding his perfect other half
