Wales Six Nations squad LIVE: Wayne Pivac reveals team for 2022 tournament
Wales have named an expanded 36-man group for the tournament
Northampton fly-half Dan Biggar has been named as Wales captain for this season’s Six Nations.
Biggar takes over from the injured Alun Wyn Jones who is among a number of high-profile absentees.
Other players not part of the squad due to injuries are Jones’ fellow British and Irish Lions George North, Leigh Halfpenny, Ken Owens, Josh Navidi, Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau.
But flanker Ross Moriarty, who has not played since the autumn due to a shoulder problem, does make Wales head coach Wayne Pivac’s 36-man group.
The squad includes three uncapped players in hooker Dewi Lake, his Ospreys colleague – flanker Jac Morgan – and Cardiff number eight James Ratti.
Follow reaction and analysis below as Pivac reveals his 36-man squad:
England Six Nations Squad
Good morning. It’s a big day of Six Nations squad news with both England and Wales set to name their first squads for the tournament.
As mentioned, it will be an expanded group named by Eddie Jones at 10.45am GMT to assemble in Brighton next week for a training camp, and the Australian will have greater flexibility to bring players out and in to the group after the RFU reached an agreement with the Premiership clubs.
England to confirm Six Nations squad
Eddie Jones is set to confirm his England’s Six Nations 2022 squad with an expanded limit of 36 players this year.
One of the dynamics to this squad is Jones’ ability to select unvaccinated players despite strict travel rules that could rule them out of two of England’s three away fixtures, notably a possible title decider against France on Super Saturday.
That should give Jones the chance to experiment more, with young fly half Orlando Bailey, 20, one to watch. Bailey’s inclusion could cast doubt over George Ford’s future, with the Leicester Tiger dropped at the end of last year by Jones.
A year ago Jones could only select 28 players with Covid causing issues throughout the campaign and the Red Rose finished a dismal fifth, meaning there is extra motivation here.
Wales were triumphant in 2021, grabbing the Triple Crown, but missed out on the Grand Slam after defeat in a thrilling game at France on the final weekend of the campaign.
Jones will be optimistic too after a statement victory over world champions South Africa at Twickenham last year.
It promises to be a wide-open tournament following a surge in form from both Ireland, after a sensational victory over the New Zealand, and France’s eye-catching style, which also proved too much for a weary All Blacks side in the Autumn Nations.
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