By Paul
October 25 2005

Lee Byrne is a Wales Player, or at least he is in Mike Ruddocks’ squad for the Autumn Internationals. In the past Welsh coaches have never picked to form, but Ruddock could not really have picked truer. Before the start of the season few would have even considered for a starting spot in the Scarlets team, now the full back finds himself on the verge of a potential debut against Fiji in just over a fortnight’s time. Byrne’s call up has seen the omission of Rhys Williams, a shock call in anyones book. The Cardiff flyer has had an average start to the season, but to dropped behind fellow team mate and the considerably less experienced Chris Czekaj.

A disciplinary panel will decide whether Chris Horsman gets the chance to make his Wales bow, or at least confirm his allegiance officially. Another English based tighthead Ben Broster will take his place, should the Worcester man be found guilty of Stamping. Ruddock is faced with having first choice half back duo Stephen Jones and Dwayne Peel being sidelined for the New Zealand game.

Gavin Henson, Tom Shanklin, Gethin Jenkins, Ryan Jones and Dafydd Jones all leave a big gap, now is a better time than ever to start showing that there is a suitable derth of talent able to more than fill the gaps.

BACKS

G Thomas (Toulouse, capt), K Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), C Czekaj (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Ospreys), M Taylor (Sale Sharks), S Parker (Ospreys), M Watkins (Llanelli Scarlets), C Sweeney (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Jones (Clermont Auvergne), N Robinson (Cardiff Blues), D Peel (Llanelli Scarlets), G Cooper (Newport Gwent Dragons), M Phillips (Cardiff Blues)

FORWARDS

D Jones (Ospreys), J Yapp (Cardiff Blues), A Jones (Ospreys), R Thomas (Cardiff Blues), M Davies (Gloucester), H Bennett (Ospreys), B Cockbain (Ospreys), I Gough (Newport Gwent Dragons), R Sidoli (Cardiff Blues), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), C Charvis (Newcastle), J Thomas (Ospreys), M Williams (Cardiff Blues), R Sowden-Taylor (Cardiff Blues), M Owen (Newport Gwent Dragons, vice-capt), A Popham (Llanelli Scarlets).


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