WARREN Gatland’s official 33-man Wales Rugby World Cup squad was unveiled player by player during this lunchtime.
Months of blood, sweat, and tears went into Wales’ preparations for the tournament in France which kicked off the following month.
And it all came down to that day. Gatland and his coaching ticket spent Saturday night and all of Sunday agonizing over the final selection calls.
The Welsh Rugby Union live-streamed the squad announcement via its YouTube page from 12.05 pm
There were a few restless nights for some players last night, with the blow of missing out on selection likely to have been heartbreaking after all the effort exerted over the past few months in Switzerland, Turkey, and on the training fields in Wales, plus the warm-up games.
Wales kicked off their World Cup campaign against Fiji in Bordeaux on September 10.
FORWARDS (19)
Taine Basham – Talywain | Dragons (13 caps) Adam Beard – Birchgrove | Ospreys (47 caps) (2019 RWC) Elliot Dee – Newbridge | Dragons | (43 caps) (2019 RWC) Corey Domachowski – Gilfach Goch | Cardiff Rugby (2 caps) Ryan Elias – Carmarthen Athletic | Scarlets (34 caps) (2019 RWC) Taulupe Faletau – RTB Ebbw Vale | Cardiff Rugby | (100 caps) (2011 RWC) Tomas Francis – Malton & Norton | Provence | (72 caps) (2015 & 2019 RWC) Dafydd Jenkins – Porthcawl | Exeter Chiefs (7 caps) Dewi Lake – Valley Ravens | Ospreys (9 caps) Dillon Lewis – Beddau | Harlequins (51 caps) (2019 RWC) Dan Lydiate – Rhayader | Dragons (71 caps) (2011 & 2015 RWC) Jac Morgan – Cwmtwrch | Ospreys (11 caps) Tommy Reffell – Pencoed | Leicester Tigers (10 caps) Will Rowlands – Dragons (25 caps) Nicky Smith – Waunarlwydd | Ospreys (44 caps) (2019 RWC) Gareth Thomas – Newcastle Emlyn | Ospreys (22 caps) Henry Thomas – Bath minis & juniors | Montpellier (2 caps) Christ Tshiunza – Rhiwbina Squirrels | Exeter Chiefs (7 caps) Aaron Wainwright – Whiteheads | Dragons (39 caps) (2019 RWC)
BACKS (14)
Josh Adams – Hendy | Cardiff Rugby (50 Caps) (2019 RWC) Gareth Anscombe – Ponsonby | Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath (35 caps) (2015 RWC) Dan Biggar – Gorseinon | Toulon (109 Caps) (2015 & 2019 RWC) Sam Costelow – Pencoed | Scarlets (4 caps) Gareth Davies – Newcastle Emlyn | Scarlets (69 Caps) (2015 & 2019 RWC) Rio Dyer – Risca | Dragons (9 caps) Mason Grady – Barry | Cardiff Rugby (4 caps) Leigh Halfpenny – Gorseinon | unattached (100 Caps) (2011 & 2019 RWC) George North – Llangefni | Ospreys (114 Caps) (2011, 2015 & 2019 RWC) Louis Rees-Zammit – Rumney | Gloucester Rugby (27 caps) Nick Tompkins – Old Elthamians | Saracens (28 caps) Johnny Williams – Rams | Scarlets (6 caps) Liam Williams – Waunarlwydd | Penlan | Kubota Spears (85 Caps) (2015 & 2019 RWC) Tomos Williams – Treorchy | Cardiff Rugby (48 Caps) (2019 RWC)
