MERRIMAN CAPTAINS WALES U21 WORLD CUP CHALLENGE

The outstanding back row prospect skippers a 26-player squad that includes nine uncapped players as they prepare to face New Zealand, Scotland and the hosts Argentina in the Pool stages around their Mendoza base.

“It’s a very new squad without nine of our Grand Slam squad,” said Wayne Hall, the Wales U21 team manager. “But it does mean that the opportunities will be there for the youngsters who have come into the squad to step up to the plate and fill the boots of so many of our missing Grand Slam players.

“The World Cup tournament is absolutely vital for the development of our players as it exposes them to the southern hemisphere teams in a one-off experience of playing at this highest level.

“Of course it was great winning the Grand Slam again and being at the top of the tree in our own hemisphere but we have to set our sights even higher if we are to progress.

“Our aim has to be to reach the semi-finals and anything after that would be a bonus.”

With Chris Czekaj and Matthew Jones on tour in North America with Mike Ruddock’s national squad, injuries and other commitments also rule out Duane Goodfield, Tom Riley, Gavin Evans, Dafydd Hewitt, Ben Thomson, Ross Davies and Ian Evans.

Richard Fussell, Jamie Roberts, David Watts, Dafydd Lockyer, David Flanagan, Gerwyn Price, Thomas Hearne, Sam Wahdan and Dominic Day are the uncapped players who head for South America bidding to make their international U21 debuts.

Wales have the honour of kicking-off the World Cup when they clash with the junior All Blacks at Liceo RC next Thursday (9 June) in the opening match of the tournament. They then play Scotland at Maristas RC on Monday 13 June and then Argentina at Chacras RC on Friday 17 June. The squad leave for Argentina on Saturday.

 
WALES U21 SQUAD FOR 2005 U21 RUGBY WORLD CUP

Backs:
Ricky Williams (Newport)
Aled Brew (Neath/Ospreys)
Richard Fussell (Dragons)
Jamie Roberts (Cardiff)
Andrew Bishop (Neath/Ospreys)
Steve Ireland (Newport)
David Watts (Swansea)
Dafydd Lockyer (Pontypridd)
Aled Thomas (Dragons)
David Flanagan (Pontypridd)
Wayne Evans (Blues)
James Ireland (Dragons)

Forwards:
Gerwyn Price (Neath)
Rhys James (Newport)
Scott Roberts (Blues)
Phillip Osborne (Newport)
Cai Griffiths (Neath/Ospreys)
Thomas Hearne (Caerphilly)
Alun Wyn Jones (Swansea/Ospreys)
Sam Wahdan (UWIC)
Dominic Day (Llanelli)
Jonathan Mills (Llanelli/Scarlets)
Chris Davies (Dragons)
James Merriman (Hartpury College/Gloucester) (Captain)
Rhys Shellard (Pontypridd)
Tom Smith (Neath)

Manager: Wayne Hall
Head coach: Chris Davey
Assistant coach: Dai Rees