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Gatland’s Midas Touch lures Nugget back for Wales

Gatland’s Midas Touch lures Nugget back for Wales

Ryan Jones will captain a 28-man Wales squad which includes Martyn Williams after new coach Warren Gatland successfully lured the 76-times capped Blues and former British Lions back row out of retirement for the 2008 RBS Six Nations Championship.

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WRU Audio: Gatland selects 28 man squad for RBS Six Nations
 
Ospreys No.8 Jones will lead a new look side into battle against England at Twickenham on Saturday February 2nd which Gatland argues could largely still be together in four year’s time, Williams the ‘Nugget’ withstanding.

“We’ve got a pretty young squad here and there is nothing stopping these players selected today holding onto their jerseys right the way up to the next World Cup, even if Martyn doesn’t make it that far,” said Gatland.


“These are the players in possession now and if they are successful then their destiny is in their own hands.


“We have had to mix the short term and the long term view and Martyn in particular is covering a specialist position.


“I talked to him this weekend and told him we wanted to select him and he took a couple of days to think it over. We have some good youngsters coming through, but the likes of Robin Sowden-Taylor are only going to benefit from having Martyn around at the moment. We feel he still has a lot to offer and we are delighted he has accepted the invitation to play for his country again.


“We have gone for Ryan Jones as captain and he is back, fit again and playing well. His ability is unquestionable on the pitch and he has the necessary experience to fill the captaincy role.


“I don’t mind admitting we looked at a number of players for the role and Jonathan Thomas in particular is someone who stands out as a key leader and a possible captain for the future, as does his Ospreys colleague Alun Wyn Jones.


“The likes of Stephen Jones and Dwayne Peel will also be important leaders for us, but the competition for places in their positions probably ruled them out of that particular race at this time.”


Blues’ youngster Jamie Roberts is the only uncapped player in the squad and is joined by his regional colleague Tom James as youth is given its day with veteran campaigners Gareth Thomas and Kevin Morgan missing out.


The Scarlets’ half-back pairing of Jones and Peel feature as do Ospreys’ duo James Hook and Mike Phillips, with Gareth Cooper filling the final scrum half berth.


In the midfield Gavin Henson, Osprey Sonny Parker and the Blues’ Tom Shanklin are the candidates while on the wings Shane Williams (Ospreys) and Mark Jones (Scarlets) will look to provide Gatland with his cutting edge alongside fullback Lee Byrne.


Up front props Adam and Duncan Jones and Rhys Thomas join hookers Huw Bennett and Matthew Rees and elsewhere in the front five Ian Gough, Alun Wyn Jones, Ian Evans, Jonathan Thomas all retain their places from the World Cup campaign. 


In the back row Alix Popham is joined by Gareth Delve who returns from injury in a bid to add to his four caps as another veteran Colin Charvis, the world’s top Test try-scoring forward, fails to make the cut. Williams and Sowden-Taylor join their captain Jones in the back row.



Wales:
Backs:
Lee Byrne, Jamie Roberts, Tom James, Mark Jones, Shane Williams, Tom Shanklin, Sonny Parker, Gavin Henson, James Hook, Stephen Jones, Dwayne Peel, Mike Phillips, Gareth Cooper


Forwards: Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Duncan Jones, Rhys Thomas, Huw Bennett, Matthew Rees, Ian Evans, Ian Gough, Alun-Wyn Jones, Jonathan Thomas, Martyn Williams, Robin Sowden-Taylor, Gareth Delve, Alix Popham, Ryan Jones (Captain)



WALES RBS 6 NATIONS SQUAD 2008


  BACKS


  Lee BYRNE (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,041), Fullback
  DoB: 01.06.80. 6’3″ / 1.91m. 15st 4lbs / 97kgs
  International record: 14 caps (W 3, L 10, D 1; 10 pts – 2T)


  Jamie ROBERTS (CARDIFF BLUES – Uncapped), Fullback
  DoB: 08.11.86.  6’4″ / 1.93m. 14st 13lbs / 95kgs
  International record: Uncapped


  Shane WILLIAMS (OSPREYS – Cap No 976), Wing
  DoB: 26.02.77. 5’7″ / 1.71m. 12st 13lbs / 82kgs
  International record: 51 caps (W 24, L 25, D 2; 175 pts – 35T)


  Tom JAMES (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,055), Wing
  DoB: 17.04.87. 6’2″ / 1.88m. 15st 1lb / 96kgs
  International record: 2 caps (L 2)


  Mark JONES (LLANELLI SCARLETS – Cap No 984), Wing
  DoB: 07.11.79.  6’2″ / 1.88m.  14st 5lbs / 91kgs
  International record: 35 caps (W 13, L 20, D 2; 60 pts – 12T)


  Tom SHANKLIN (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 993), Centre
  DoB: 24.11.79. 6’2″ / 1.88m. 15st 9lbs / 99kgs
  International record: 47 caps (W 20, L 26, D 1; 85 pts – 17T)


  Sonny PARKER (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,007), Centre
  DoB: 27.08.77. 6’1″ 1.86m. 15st 13lbs / 101kgs
  International record: 27 caps (W 12, L 15; 30 pts – 6T)


  Gavin HENSON (OSPREYS – Cap No 990), Centre
  DoB: 01.02.82. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 15st 7lbs / 98kgs
  International record: 23 caps (W 11, L 11, D 1; 130 pts – 3T,29C,18PG,1DG)


  James HOOK (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,047), Fly-half
  DoB: 27.06.85. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 14st 3lbs / 90kgs
  International record: 20 caps (W 6, L 13, D 1; 138 pts – 5T,25C,19PG,2DG)


  Stephen JONES (LLANELLI SCARLETS – Cap No 966), Fly-half
  DoB: 08.12.77.  6’1″ / 1.86m.  14st 12lbs / 94kgs
  International record: 66 caps (W28, L36, D2; 569 pts – 6T,106C,106PG,3DG)


  Dwayne PEEL (LLANELLI SCARLETS – Cap No 994), Scrum-half
  DoB: 31.08.81. 5’9″ / 1.76m. 13st 8lbs / 86kgs
  International record: 59 caps (W 25, L 32, D 2; 25 pts – 5T)


  Michael PHILLIPS (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,022), Scrum-half
  DoB: 29.08.82. 6’3″ / 1.91m. 16st 6lbs / 104kgs
  International record: 28 caps (W 12, L 15, D 1; 15 pts – 3T)


  Gareth COOPER (GLOUCESTER RUGBY – Cap No 985), Scrum-half
  DoB: 07.05.79. 5’7″ / 1.71m. 13st 6lbs / 85kgs
  International record: 35 caps (W 17, L 18; 35 pts – 7T)


  FORWARDS


  Huw BENNETT (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,017), Hooker
  DoB: 11.06.83. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 16st 12lbs / 107kgs
  International record: 14 caps (W 7, L 7)


  Matthew REES (LLANELLI SCARLETS – Cap No 1,033), Hooker 
  DoB: 09.12.80. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 16st 9lbs / 106kgs
  International record: 16 caps (W 5, L 10, D 1; 10 pts – 2T)


  Rhys THOMAS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,049), Prop
  DoB: 31.07.82. 82. 6’1″ / 1.86m. 17st 6lbs / 111kgs
  International record: 3 caps (L 3)


  Gethin JENKINS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,006), Prop
  DoB: 17.11.80. 6’2″ / 1.88m. 18st 9lbs / 118kgs
  International record: 53 caps (W 20, L 31, D 2; 15 pts – 3T)


  Adam Rhys JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,018), Prop
  DoB: 08.03.81. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 20st 5lb / 129kgs
  International record: 44 caps (W 22, L 20, D 2; 5 pts – 1T) 


  Duncan JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 997)
  DoB: 18.09.78. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 17st 6lbs / 111kgs
  International record: 45 caps (W 18, L 25, D 2)


  Ian EVANS (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,045), Lock 
  DoB: 04.10.84. 6’8″ / 2.04m. 18st 3lbs / 116kgs
  International record: 8 caps (W 2, L 5, D 1; 5 pts – 1T)


  Ian GOUGH (OSPREYS – Cap No 964), Lock
  DoB: 10.11.76.  6′ 6″ / 1.98m. 18st 13lbs / 120kgs
  International record: 45 caps (W 18, L 24, D 3; 5 pts – 1T)


  Alun-Wyn JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,046), Lock/Back Row 
  DoB: 19.09.85. 6’5″ / 1.96m. 18st 9lbs / 118kgs
  International record: 18 caps (W 6, L 12; 15 pts – 3T)


  Jonathan THOMAS (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,013) Lock/Back Row 
  DoB: 27.12.82. 6’5″ / 1.96m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
  International record: 39 caps (W 17, L 20, D 2; 35 pts – 7T)


  Robin SOWDEN-TAYLOR (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,032) Back Row 
  DoB: 09.06.82. 6’1″ / 1.86m. 15st 5lbs / 98kgs
  International record: 5 caps (W 2, L 3)


  Martyn WILLIAMS (CARDIFF BLUES) 
  DoB: 01.09.75.  6’0″ / 1.83m.  15st 13lbs / 101kgs
  International record: 76 caps (W 33, L 40, D 3; 68 pts – 13T, 1DG)


  Alix POPHAM (LLANELLI SCARLETS – Cap No 1,014) Back Row 
  DoB: 17.10.79. 6’2″ / 1.88m. 17st 4lbs / 110kgs
  International record: 32 caps (W 12, L 19, D 1; 20 pts – 4T)


  Gareth DELVE (GLOUCESTER RUGBY – Cap No 1,043)
  DoB: 30.12.82. 6’3″. 17st 13lbs
  International record: 4 caps (W 1, L 3; 5 pts – 1T)


  Ryan JONES (CAPTAIN, OSPREYS – Cap No 1,029) Back Row 
  DoB: 13.03.81. 6’5″ / 1.96m. 18st 0lbs / 114kgs
  International record: 16 caps (W 8, L 7, D 1; 5 pts – 1T)



 
WELSH CAPTAINS 1881-2007


















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































No Name P W D L From-To Club
1

J Bevan (JAMES)

1 0 0 1 1881 Cambridge Univ
2 C P Lewis (CHARLES) 3 1 0 2 1882-83 Llandovery
3

C H Newman (CHARLES)

6 0 2 4 1884-87 Newport
4 H J Simpson (JOE) 1 1 0 0 1884 Cardiff
5 F E Hancock (FRANK) 1 0 0 1 1886 Cardiff
6

R Gould (BOBBY)

1 0 0 1 1887 Newport
7 T Clapp (TOM) 3 2 0 1 1887-88 Newport
8

A F Hill (ARTHUR)

4 1 0 3 1888-94 Cardiff
9 A J Gould (ARTHUR) 18 8 1 9 1889-97 Newport
10 W H Bowen (William) 1 0 0 1 1891 Swansea
11

W H Thomas (William)

2 1 0 1 1891 Llanelli
12

W J Bancroft (BILLY)

11 7 0 4 1898-1901 Swansea
13

E G Nicholls (GWYN)

10 7 1 2 1902-06 Cardiff
14 T W Pearson (TOM) 1 1 0 0 1903 Newport
15 G L Lloyd (LLEWELLYN) 1 0 0 1 1903 Newport
16

W M Llewellyn (WILLIE)

5 4 0 1 1904-05 Newport
17 R M Owen (DICKIE) 3 2 0 1 1907-12 Swansea
18 W J Trew (BILLY) 14 12 0 2 1907-13 Swansea
19 R T Gabe (RHYS) 1 1 0 0 1907 Cardiff
20 A F Harding (ARTHUR) 1 1 0 0 1908 London Welsh
21

G Travers (GEORGE)

1 1 0 0 1908 Pill Harriers
22 E Morgan (TEDDY) 1 1 0 0 1908 London Welsh
23 H B Winfield (BERT) 1

1

0 0 1908 Cardiff
24 R A Gibbs (REGGIE) 1 1 0 0 1910 Cardiff
25 J L Williams (JOHNNIE) 1 1 0 0 1911 Cardiff
26

J Bancroft (JACK)

1 0 0 1 1912 Swansea
27 T H Vile (TOMMY) 4 1 0 3 1912-21 Newport
28 J P Jones (JOHN) 1 1 0 0 1913 Pontypool
29 Rev J A Davies (ALBAN) 4 3 0 1 1914 Llanelli
30 G Stephens (GLYN) 1 0 0 1 1919 Neath
31

H Uzzell (HARRY)

4 3 0 1 1920 Newport
32 J J Wetter (JACK) 3 0 0 3 1921-24 Newport
33 T Parker (TOM) 7 6 1 0 1921-23 Swansea
34 J M C Lewis (CLEM) 2 0 0 2 1923 Cardiff
35 A Jenkins (ALBERT) 2 0 0 2 1923-28 Llanelli
36

J Rees (JOE)

1 0 0 1 1924 Swansea
37

37 J Whitfield (JACK)

1 1924 Newport
38 W R Harding (ROWE) 4 1924-28 Swansea
39 T Johnson (TOM) 1 0 0 1925 Cardiff
40 S Morris (STEPHEN) 1 1925 Cross Keys
41

R A Cornish (ARTHUR)

2 1 1925-26 Cardiff
42 W I Jones (IDRIS) 1 1925 Llanelli
43 W J Delahay (BOBBY) 1 1 0 0 1926 Cardiff
44 B R Turnbull (LOU) 1 1927 Cardiff
45 B O Male (OSSIE) 3 1927-28 Cardiff
46

W C Powell (WICK)

2 1 1927 London Welsh
47 I E Jones (IVOR) 3 1927-30 Llanelli
48 W G Morgan (GUY) 4 3 1 0 1929-30 Swansea
49 H M Bowcott (HARRY) 1 0 0 1 1930 Cardiff
50 J Bassett (JACK) 9 6 1 2 1930-32 Penarth
51

W G Thomas (WATCYN)

3 1 1933 Swansea
52

J R Evans (JOHN)

1 0 0 1 1934 Newport
53 E C Davey (CLAUDE) 8 1934-37 Swansea
54 J I Rees (IDWAL) 3 1936-37 Swansea
55 W Wooller (WILF) 4 2 0 2 1937-39 Cardiff
56 C W Jones (CLIFF) 3 2 0 1 1938 Cardiff
57 H Tanner (HAYDN) 12 1947-49 Cardiff
58 W E Tamplin (BILLY) 1 1 0 0 1947 Cardiff
59 J A Gwilliam (JOHN) 13 1 3 1950-53 Edin W/Glouc
60 J Matthews (JACK) 1 0 0 1 1951 Cardiff
61

B L Williams (BLEDDYN)

5 5 0 0 1953-55 Cardiff
62 J R G Stephens (REES) 6 5 0 1 1954-57 Neath
63 W R Willis (REX) 2 1 0 1 1954-55 Cardiff
64 K J Jones (KEN) 1 1 0 0 1954 Newport
65 C I Morgan (CLIFF) 4 3 0 1 1956 Cardiff
66 M C Thomas (MALCOLM) 2 0 0 2 1957 Newport
67 R C C Thomas (CLEM) 9 5 1 3 1958-59 Swansea
68 R H Williams (RHYS) 1 1960 Llanelli
69 B V Meredith (BRYN) 4 1 1960-62 Newport
70

D O Brace (ONLLWYN)

2 2 0 1960-61 Llanelli
71 T J Davies (TERRY) 3 1 0 2 1960-61 Llanelli
72 L H Williams (LLOYD) 3 0 1 2 1961-62 Cardiff
73 D C T Rowlands (CLIVE) 14 6 2 6 1963-65 Pontypool
74 A E I Pask (ALUN) 6 0 3 1966-67 Abertillery
75 D Watkins (DAVID) 3 2 1967 Newport
76 N R Gale (NORMAN) 2 0 1967-68 Llanelli
77 G O Edwards (GARETH) 13 6 3 4 1968-74 Cardiff
78 S J Dawes (JOHN) 6 5 0 1968-71 London Welsh
79 B Price (BRIAN) 6 3 1 2 1969 Newport
80

D J Lloyd (JOHN)

3 3 0 0 1972 Bridgend
81 W D Thomas (DELME) 1 0 0 1 1972 Llanelli
82 A J L Lewis (ARTHUR) 3 0 1 1973 Ebbw Vale
83 T M Davies (MERVYN) 9 8 0 1 1975-76 Swansea
84 P Bennett (PHIL) 8 7 0 1 1977-78 Llanelli
85 T J Cobner (TERRY) 1 0 1978 Pontypool
86 T G R Davies (GERALD) 1 0 0 1 1978 Cardiff
87 J P R Williams (JOHN) 5 3 0 2 1978-79 Bridgend
88 J Squire (JEFF) 6 3 3 1980-81 Pontypool
89 S P Fenwick (STEVE) 3 1 0 2 1980-81 Bridgend
90

W G Davies (GARETH)

5 2 0 3 1981-82 Cardiff
91 E T Butler (EDDIE) 6 2 1 3 1983-84 Pontypool
92 M J Watkins (MIKE) 4 2 0 2 1984 Newport
93 T D Holmes (TERRY) 5 3 0 2 1985 Cardiff
94 D F Pickering (DAVID) 8 4 0 4 1986-87 Llanelli
95 R D Moriarty (RICHARD) 7 6 0 1 1986-87 Swansea
96 W J James (BILLY) 1 0 0 1 1987 Aberavon
97 J Davies (JONATHAN) 4 2 0 2 1987-88 Llanelli
98 B Bowen (BLEDDYN) 5 4 0 1 1987-88 SW Police
99 R Norster (ROBERT) 1 1988 Cardiff
100 P H Thorburn (PAUL) 10 1989-91 Neath
101

R N Jones (ROBERT)

5 0 0 5 1989-90 Swansea
102 K H Phillips (KEVIN) 2 1990 Neath
103 I C Evans (IEUAN) 28 13 0 15 1991-95 Llanelli
104 G O Llewellyn (GARETH) 7 1993-95 Neath
105 M R Hall (MIKE) 3 1 0 2 1995 Cardiff
106 J M Humphreys (JONATHAN) 19 6 0 13 1995-97,03 Cardiff/Bath
107 N G Davies (NIGEL) 1 0 0 1 1996 Llanelli
108 I S Gibbs (SCOTT) 1 1 0 0 1997 Swansea
109 R G Jones (GWYN) 5 4 0 1 1997 Cardiff
110

P John (PAUL)

1 1 0 0 1997 Pontypridd
111 R Howley (ROBERT) 22 15 0 7 1998-99 Cardiff
112 K Jones (KINGSLEY) 1 0 0 1 1998 Ebbw Vale
113 D Young (DAVID) 12 6 1 5 2000-1 Cardiff
114 M Taylor (MARK) 4 0 0 2000, 2005 Swansea/Sale
115 L S Quinnell (SCOTT) 7 2000-2 Llanelli
116 A P Moore (ANDY) 2 2001 Swansea
117 C L Charvis (COLIN) 22 11 0 11 2002-3-4 Swansea/Newcastle
118 M E Williams (MARTYN) 5 0 0 5 2003-4 Cardiff
119 G Thomas (GARETH) 21 9 0 12 2003-4-5-6-7 Celtic W / Toulouse / Blues
120

S Jones (STEPHEN)

8 1 6 2003-6-7 Llanelli Scarlets
121 M Davies (MEFIN) 1 1 0 0 2003 Celtic W
122 M Owen (MICHAEL) 6 3 1 2 2005-6 NG Dragons
123 D Jones (DUNCAN) 3 1 2 2006 Ospreys
124 D Peel (DWAYNE) 1 1 0 0 2007 Llanelli Scarlets
125 G Jenkins (GETHIN) 1 0 0 1 2007 Cardiff Blues



WALES COACHES – 1967-2008























































































































































No Name P W D L
1

David Nash (1967-68)

5 1 1 3
2

Clive Rowlands (1968-74)

29 18 4 7
3

John Dawes (1974-79)

24 18 0 6
4

John Lloyd (1980-82)

14 6 0 8
5

John Bevan (1982-85)

15 7 1 7
6

Tony Gray (1985-88)

18 9 0 9
7 John Ryan (1988-90) 9 2 0 7
8 Ron Waldron (1990-91) 10 2 1 7
9 Alan Davies (1991-95) 35 18 0 17
10 Alex Evans (1995) 4 1 0 3
11

Kevin Bowring (1995-98)

29 15 0 14
12 Dennis John (1998) 2 1 0 1
13 Graham Henry (1998-2002) 34 20 1 13
14 Lynn Howells (2001) 2 2 0 0
15 Steve Hansen (2002-2004) 29 10 0 19
16 Mike Ruddock (2004-2006) 20 13  0 7
17 Scott Johnson (2006) 3 0 1 2
18 Gareth Jenkins (2006-2007) 20 6 1 13
19 Nigel Davies (2007) 1 0 0 1
20 Warren Gatland (2008 – present) 0 0 0 0

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