Senior men’s head coach Warren Gatland has confirmed the Wales squad to compete at Rugby World Cup 2023 in France this autumn - and names six Dragons with Taine Basham, Elliot Dee, Dan Lydiate, Will Rowlands, Aaron Wainwright and Rio Dyer all selected.
The 33-player squad is made up of 19 forwards and 14 backs with an average age of 27 years old. Seventeen players have previous Rugby World Cup experience.
People from across the nation had the honour of revealing those selected in the squad in an announcement video which showcased iconic landmarks from around Wales, as well as sharing photos from the players’ formative years in rugby.
Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan have been selected to co-captain Wales at their first Rugby World Cup.
Centre George North, Wales’ most-capped senior men’s back with 114 appearances, will compete in his fourth Rugby World Cup.
Fly-half Dan Biggar, Wales’ second most-capped back behind North with 109 appearances, scrum-half Gareth Davies, tighthead prop Tomas Francis, blindside flanker Dan Lydiate and full-backs Leigh Halfpenny and Liam Williams will all compete in their third Rugby World Cup. Loosehead prop Corey Domachowski (Cardiff Rugby) and tighthead prop Henry Thomas (Montpellier) are included having won their first senior caps for Wales during the Summer Series matches this August.
Twenty-year old second row Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs) is the youngest member of the squad.
“The toughest part of the job is always selection and this is particularly the case when it comes to picking a Rugby World Cup squad,” said Gatland.
“Over the past three months the whole group of 48 players in the wider training squad has been outstanding in terms of attitude and effort, so having to reduce the squad down to the final 33 has been really hard and there have been some close final decisions in the last 36 hours.
“But we can only take 33 players and those we have selected we think offer a good combination in terms of talent and experience.
“We have a few more training sessions here in Wales before we depart for France on 3 September and we cannot wait to get out there and get started in this tournament. We look forward to what lies ahead for this group.
“This will be a very proud moment for these players, their families and friends and I’d like to congratulate them all on the achievement.”
Drawn in Pool C, Wales’ Rugby World Cup campaign in France begins against Fiji in Bordeaux (Saturday 10 September, kick off 2000 BST). The squad then travels to Nice to play Portugal (Saturday 16 September, kick off 1645 BST), before facing Australia in Lyon (Sunday 24 September, kick off 2000 BST) and meeting Georgia in Nantes (Saturday 7 October, kick off 1400 BST).
Wales senior men’s squad for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France (Player | first club | club | Wales caps | previous RWC)
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)
