Williams and Hill earn shock Wales recalls

Liam Williams and Corry Hill have more than 120 caps between them

Liam Williams and Cory Hill have been given surprise recalls by Wales for their summer Tests.

The veterans have been plying their trade in Japan with Hill benefitting from Wales' second-row crisis, three years since his last cap.

Warren Gatland has also selected Gloucester wing or full-back Josh Hathaway among four uncapped players to face South Africa and Australia.

Ospreys wing Keelan Giles and Cardiff pair Jacob Beetham and Ellis Bevan are the other uncapped players in a 36-strong training squad.

Gatland's side face the Springboks at Twickenham on 22 June, when several players based outside Wales are unavailable for a match outside the official Test window.

The squad will then be trimmed to 34 before heading on a two-Test tour of Australia in July.

Will Rowlands, Josh Adams, Alex Mann and Ryan Elias are all being rested for the summer.

But fly-half Ioan Lloyd and flankers Taine Basham and James Botham are notable absentees from the Six Nations squad.

And there is still no place for the likes of Morgan Morris, Eddie James, Nicky Smith or Johnny Williams, who have all shown good club form.

Sam Costelow is the only specialist 10 included, with returning Cardiff centre Ben Thomas providing cover, while Dragons lock Matthew Screech is also recalled.

World Cup co-captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake return having missed the Six Nations through injury, with Gatland yet to name his summer skipper.

Liam Williams returns

At the age of 33, and having left Cardiff to play his club rugby in Japan following the World Cup - causing him to miss this year's Six Nations - many suspected Williams would not add to his 89 Wales caps.

But the loss of several experienced players, such as George North, Josh Adams and Louis Rees-Zammit, has prompted the need for an old head.

"Liam didn't have a lot of rugby in Japan but he still has a lot to offer us in terms of his experiences and the X-factor that he has," said Gatland.

"He'll be disappointed with the amount of injuries he's had over the last couple of years and that's something we will focus on to manage.

"But we definitely think we can get him through to the next World Cup."

Similarly, Scarlets-bound prop Henry Thomas has received a recall.

Thomas joined Castres from Montpellier after the World Cup and was another not involved in the Six Nations.

Now he is among five tight-head props alongside Keiron Assiratti, Henry O'Connor, Dillon Lewis and Archie Griffin, though only four are likely to tour Australia.

Lock headache

Hill has benefitted from a desperate shortage of second-rows available for Wales.

Adam Beard, Rhys Davies and Teddy Williams are all injured, while Will Rowlands is being rested.

Exeter pair Dafydd Jenkins and Christ Tshiunza are unavailable against the Springboks while Cardiff's Seb Davies faces suspension following his red card against Ospreys on Saturday.

Hill, twice a Six Nations winner, withdrew from the World Cup training squad last year to take up a club contract in Japan with fourth-division side Secom Rugguts.

However, he has not played for Wales since he was named as among a group of men who damaged a woman's house in May 2021.

Hill was never charged by police, but issued an apology, and Gatland insisted they had "moved past" the incident.

Gatland said: "He has [apologised] and that was dealt with by Cardiff. For us, that time-frame has gone.

"He's been in the [team HQ] training and we've had a conversation with about potentially being available through to the World Cup."

One-cap Dragons lock Screech, 31, has previously made just one replacement appearance at Test level, against Argentina in 2021.

Wales' summer fixtures

• 22 June - South Africa (Twickenham)

• 6 July - Australia (Sydney)

• 13 July - Australia (Melbourne)

• 19 July - Queensland Reds (Brisbane)

The new boys

Josh Hathaway scored for England Under-20s against Wales in 2023

Wales, prompted by missing out on Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to England, have moved quickly to reclaim Josh Hathaway.

The versatile Gloucester back, who grew up in Aberystwyth and joined the Scarlets academy, has represented Wales and England at under-20 level.

But his move to Hartpury College led to a contract with Gloucester and he has enjoyed a breakthrough senior season, benefitting from the departure of clubmate Rees-Zammit to the NFL.

"He's a young player with a lot of potential and we want to make sure we qualify him for Wales," said Gatland.

"He's done some really impressive things on attack this year and we want to bring him in the squad and see what we can do with him."

Gatland confirmed Cardiff wing Theo Cabango could have been picked had he not suffered a hamstring injury in the last game of the season on Saturday.

Cardiff scrum-half Bevan is named alongside Gareth Davies and Kieran Hardy following the loss of club-mate Tomos Williams to injury.

"Ellis is a bit different with a left-foot kicking option and he also has some physicality about him," said Gatland.

He added: "Keelan [Giles] is an experienced player now and has been consistent with the Ospreys. It was unfortunate that Theo Cabango got injured."

Wales summer squad

Forwards: Corey Domachowski (Cardiff), Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Elliot Dee (Dragons), Dewi Lake (Ospreys), Evan Lloyd (Cardiff), Sam Parry (Ospreys), Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff), Archie Griffin (Bath), Dillon Lewis (Harlequins) Harri O'Connor (Scarlets), Henry Thomas (Castres Olympique), Ben Carter (Dragons), Cory Hill (Secom Rugguts), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), Matthew Screech (Dragons), Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs), Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff), Jac Morgan (Ospreys), Taine Plumtree (Scarlets), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons).

Backs: Ellis Bevan (Cardiff), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Kieran Hardy (Scarlets), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Mason Grady (Cardiff), Ben Thomas (Cardiff), Nick Tompkins (Saracens), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Rio Dyer (Dragons), Keelan Giles (Ospreys), Josh Hathaway (Gloucester), Liam Williams (Kubota Spears), Jacob Beetham (Cardiff), Cameron Winnett (Cardiff).