Scarlets hooker Ken Owens will captain Wales within the Six Nations, taking on from Justin Tipuric.
Coach Warren Gatland has introduced in four uncapped players to his 37-man squad – Cardiff duo Teddy Williams and Mason Grady and Ospreys pair Rhys Davies and Keiran Williams.
Ospreys scrum-half Rhys Webb is again alongside Rhys Carre, Rhys Patchell, Aaron Wainwright and Owen Williams.
Wales start the Six Nations marketing campaign in opposition to Ireland on 4 February.
Wyn Jones, Dewi Lake, Liam Williams and Dan Biggar return to the squad having missed the Autumn Nations Series due to harm.
There can also be a recall for Dragons prop Leon Brown, whereas again row Ross Moriarty, prop Nicky Smith and hooker Ryan Elias, who has been carrying an Achilles harm, are among the many notable absentees.
Captaincy conundrum
Owens, 36, has by no means beforehand led his nation, however was given the nod after flanker Tipuric led Wales via the autumn sequence, whereas Biggar had been in cost for the 2022 Six Nations and summer time tour of South Africa.
“Ken’s extremely skilled and a passionate Welshman – it means quite a bit to him to play for Wales,” stated Gatland.
“He’s additionally very talked-about with the players. He got here again from harm and was excellent through the autumn marketing campaign.
“Probably, in the event you’re choosing a workforce for the time being he is the primary in that place. But he is going to have some competitors with Dewi and Bradley as nicely which goes to be nice.”
New faces
Lock Williams, 22, solely made his first regional begin in Cardiff’s Challenge Cup win over Newcastle final weekend.
He is the son of Wales and Cardiff again row Owain Williams, who died aged 56 in 2021, and nephew of Owain’s brother Gareth, a Wales and British and Irish Lions again row who passed away aged 63 in 2018.
Lock Rhys Davies was referred to as up to the autumn internationals squad as harm cowl. There are 14 Ospreys players named within the squad, which is the primary named by Gatland since he returned for a second spell as Wales’ head coach.
“Rhys has been concerned with the squad and Teddy can are available in and see what he can convey to the squad,” added Gatland.
“It’s a place we’d like to develop some depth in.”
Powerful centre Grady, 20, has impressed in midfield, whereas Ospreys centre Williams has been distinguished in his area’s revival.
“Mason is an enormous man and he is acquired some improvement to do,” added Gatland.
“He’s skilled with the workforce prior to now regardless that he wasn’t named within the squad.
“We’ve been impressed with a few performances that we have seen. There’s undoubtedly extra to come.
“Keiran is a bit totally different. He jogs my memory of a youthful Scott Gibbs in the way in which that he performs and his stature with incredible footwork in getting throughout the gainline. He’s fairly thrilling and it is an excellent alternative.”
Gloucester wing Louis Rees-Zammit, Brown and Cardiff entrance row Dillon Lewis have been included regardless of carrying accidents.
“It’s in all probability an even bigger squad than I’d usually title, however we would like to have a very good Six Nations and likewise look ahead to the World Cup,” added Gatland
“It’s wanting on the complete ingredient for the squad and the way we get the steadiness proper, as a result of that is undoubtedly going to be a problem over the following 10 months.
“There are some players that had been unfortunate they did not make the squad, so the message to them is hold working exhausting you are not out of the image.”
Gatland’s first squad
During Gatland’s preliminary 12-year reign, from 2007 to 2019, Wales gained four Six Nations titles, three Grand Slams and reached two World Cup semi-finals and had been briefly the world’s primary workforce.
The New Zealander was tempted again after a depressing 2022 for the Welsh, which included house defeats in opposition to Italy and Georgia that spelt the top for compatriot Wayne Pivac.
Gatland has employed Alex King and Mike Forshaw as replacements for Stephen Jones and Gethin Jenkins in his backroom workers and likewise confirmed Jonathan Thomas in his set-up.
Former England fly-half King briefly held the assault coach position in 2017 and performed below Gatland at Wasps.
Ex-Great Britain rugby league worldwide Forshaw has been prised away from Premiership outfit Sale to be in cost the Wales defence.
Wales squad
Forwards: Rhys Carre (Cardiff), Wyn Jones (Scarlets), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Dewi Lake (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets, capt), Bradley Roberts (Dragon), Leon Brown (Dragons), Tomas Francis (Ospreys), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Rhys Davies (Ospreys), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Teddy Williams (Cardiff), Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff), Jac Morgan (Ospreys), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons).
Backs: Kieran Hardy (Scarlets), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Tomos Williams (Cardiff), Dan Biggar (Toulon), Rhys Patchell (Scarlets), Owen Williams (Ospreys), Mason Grady (Cardiff), Joe Hawkins (Ospreys), George North (Ospreys), Nick Tompkins (Saracens), Keiran Williams (Ospreys), Josh Adams (Cardiff), Alex Cuthbert (Ospreys), Rio Dyer (Dragons), Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets), Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester), Liam Williams (Cardiff).
