Back-rowers get a recall as Wales look to test England

Wyn Griffiths
Saturday 30 July 2011 00:00 BST
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Jonathan Thomas and Andy Powell, two experienced back-row players, have been included in a 39-man Wales squad to face England at Twickenham next Saturday.

They were discarded from the party of 35 players who recently travelled to Poland for the second of two intensive training camps. The Cardiff Blues prop Scott Andrews and Scarlets hooker Ken Owens, who too missed the trip to Spala, also make returns.

Dwayne Peel is again unavailable, but could join the squad on Thursday. The Sale Sharks scrum-half has been unable to join up with the rest of the players because English clubs have refused to release any Welsh players outside the designated International Rugby Board window.

But IRB rules state that allplayers must be released fornational squad training and matches "at least 35 days before" the opening match of the 2011 World Cup.

English players have been released to the England squad under the terms of the agreement between the clubs and the Rugby Football Union.

The Welsh regions have a similar agreement with the Welsh Rugby Union.

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