Williams and Thomas named in Gatland’s Training Squad
Newport Gwent Dragons scrum half Andy Williams and prop Rhys Thomas have been named in Wales Coach Warren Gatland’s 24-man training squad to gather at Whites of Wexford, Ireland, next Monday 5th May, as he prepares his Grand Slam winning team for the two-Test summer tour to the home of World Champions South Africa in June.
Gatland's 2008 RBS Six Nations Championship winning side face the Springboks at Vodacom Park, Blomfontein on Saturday 7th June and then travel to Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, for the tour decider on Saturday 14th June, but preparations begin a month in advance.
Five-times internationally capped Andy Williams joins un-capped London Irish scrum-half Warren Fury and Scarlets full-back Morgan Stoddard as the only new faces outside of the 29-man squad which remained unbeaten during Gatland's debut season in charge.
Dragons duo Rhys Thomas and Andy Williams are also named with the possibility of a late withdrawal in mind as coach Gatland wants them to remain with their region if European qualification continues to be at stake after this weekend's game.
"We have been given the opportunity to go on a pre-tour training camp thanks largely to the support of the coaches and management at each of the four regions in Wales," said Gatland.
"This is not something that we will be able to do every year, because I would like to see our regions in contention for end of season honours, but with no European competition left at the end of a tough season and with Leinster runaway leaders of the Magners league we have been able to negotiate a position which will hopefully be of benefit to everyone.
"The regions have allowed us to take the players away for an intensive period of training in advance of our tour to South Africa and I would like to personally express my gratitude for their co-operation."
Gatland will take his side to a training base in Wexford which specialises in Cryotherapy, a therapy which aids the body's recovery from exercise and therefore, basically, allows for more training to be undertaken in a short space of time than would normally be possibly.
"Cryotherapy is something that has been around in sport for some time and something I've used before at specific times as an aid to training at various camps in Poland whilst I was in charge of Ireland and London Wasps," added Gatland.
"The facilities at the camp in Wexford will be top notch, but as much as anything else this is a chance for us to gather as a group for the first time since the six nations, to train together and to prepare ourselves for a tough tour against the Springboks.
"Andy Williams and Morgan Stoddart both have a chance to show the coaches what they have to offer and to book themselves a seat on the plane to South Africa, Andy and Warren in particular are in with a good shout with two injuries in their position to Mike Phillips and Dwayne Peel being a worry for us.
"This is our core group now, but there may also be one or two other names we add to the tour party injuries permitting and with a couple of players down in England not considered at the moment.
"There is also plenty more rugby to be played back in Wales before the full complement of probably 26 players or so is announced on 14th May."
WALES TRAINING SQUAD, WEXFORD, MAY 2008:
BACKS: Morgan Stoddart, Lee Byrne, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams, Tom James, Sonny Parker, Tom Shanklin, Stephen Jones, James Hook, Andy Williams, Warren Fury
FORWARDS: Ryan Jones, Alix Popham, Martyn Williams, Jonathan Thomas, Ian Evans, Alun-Wyn Jones, Ian Gough, Duncan Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Rhys Thomas, Adam Jones, Matthew Rees, Huw Bennett
