Davies will cut this initial squad to 24 on Sunday, effectively turning this weekend’s Heineken Cup fixtures into a series of ‘trial’ matches for the players who are bidding to tackle the Springboks.
“We have named a 31-man squad in order to let players know we are watching them, as well as for administrative reasons given the short week we have ahead of us,” said Davies, who will act as Head Coach for the game.
“The key thing to come out of this announcement is that players should realise that one big performance this weekend could easily play them into the side to face the world champions in front of a big home crowd the following Saturday.
“We have a good idea of where we want to go with the team selection, but we are maintaining an open mind whilst we assess form once again in the Heineken Cup.
“This announcement is designed to let the players know they are in with a chance and we will be looking for them to react positively by stepping up to the mark and giving themselves and their Regions a real boost in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the Heineken Cup.”
Llanelli Scarlets fullback Morgan Stoddart has forced his way into the reckoning with his recent run of good form and he is the only uncapped player included in the initial 31-man squad.
There are seven players included in the 31-man group who were not at the Rugby World Cup – Lee Byrne, Tom James, Gavin Henson and Stoddart behind the scrum and Rhys Thomas, Luke Charteris and Robin Sowden-Taylor up front – and six have dropped out.
Martyn Williams has retired from international rugby, Chris Horsman, Kevin Morgan and Dafydd James are injured and Gareth Thomas and Will James are not included.
“I’ve spoken to Gareth Thomas about our selection policy. Although he hasn’t ruled himself out of the international reckoning, he has stated publicly that it is perhaps time for younger players to come through and make an impact,” added Davies.
“In this instance, I would tend to agree with him, especially in the light of the performances put in by Stoddart, Lee Byrne and Tom James so far this season. This could be a chance for us to have a look at how these talented young players cope with the pressure of performing on the international stage.
“That said, we still need a certain amount of experience to take on a team of the calibre of South Africa. With Martyn Williams retiring, we felt we needed to retain the unique talents and physicality of Colin Charvis within the group.”
The Scarlets host the reigning European champions London Wasps at Stradey Park on Saturday, while the Ospreys travel to Kingsholm on Friday night to meet the current Guinness Premiership leaders Gloucester. The other Heineken Cup matches involving Welsh teams this weekend see the Dragons host London Irish on Saturday and the Blues travel to Harlequins.
“Gavin Henson is one of the players who is in the category of needing a big game this weekend to convince us he is ready to return to the international arena,” said Davies.
“He has been showing encouraging signs for the Ospreys and it will be a tough test for him at Gloucester playing against Mike Tindall and Anthony Allen. We need him somewhere near the peak of his powers if we are to get the best out of him and that is what we will be looking for.
“Up front, we have drafted Robin Sowden-Taylor, Luke Charteris and Rhys Thomas back into the squad. Robin has been waiting in the wings to replace Martyn Williams for both club and country and we already know a lot about him from his presence in previous squads.
“Rhys has been on our radar for a long time and it is great to see him injury free at present. Injuries have kept him out of the running for some time, but he has been a real force in the Dragons pack this season.
“The same is true of Luke. He has the size, stature and power we may well need to turn to against such a physical side as the Springboks.”
Ticket sales are going well for the Prince William Cup match between Wales and South Africa. If you want to be part of a very special occasion then tickets are available from the WRU Ticket Shop (98, St Mary Street, Cardiff), online via Ticketmaster – Click Here for tickets – or by calling Ticketmaster on 08705 582 582. Tickets are priced at £20, £40, £45, £50 and £60 for this unique match against the reigning World Champions.
Wales Training Squad v South Africa
Backs: Lee Byrne (Ospreys), Morgan Stoddart (Scarlets), Mark Jones (Scarlets), Shane Williams (Ospreys), Tom James (Blues), Tom Shanklin (Blues), Jamie Robinson (Blues), Gavin Henson (Ospreys), Sonny Parker (Ospreys), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), James Hook (Ospreys), Ceri Sweeney (Dragons), Michael Phillips (Ospreys), Dwayne Peel (Scarlets), Gareth Cooper (Gloucester)
Forwards: Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Alix Popham (Scarlets), Colin Charvis (Dragons), Robin Sowden-Taylor (Blues), Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Michael Owen (Dragons), Luke Charteris (Dragons), Ian Gough (Ospreys), Rhys Thomas (Dragons), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), T Rhys Thomas (Blues), Gethin Jenkins (Blues, Captain), Duncan Jones (Ospreys)
The South African Squad
Backs: Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Conrad Jantjes, Ricky Januarie, Wayne Julies, Akona Ndungane, Wynand Olivier, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Andre Pretorius, Francois Steyn
Forwards: Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Victor Matfield, Johann Muller, Danie Roussouw, John Smit (capt), Juan Smith, Gurthro Steenkamp, Albert van den Berg, Wickus van Heerden, CJ van der Linde, Heinke van der Merwe
WALES TRAINING SQUAD v SOUTH AFRICA
 Lee BYRNE (OSPREYS)
 DoB: 01.06.80. 6’3″ / 1.91m. 15st 4lbs / 97kgs
 International record: 14 caps (W 3, L 10, D 1; 10 pts – 2T)
 Morgan STODDART (LLANELLI SCARLETS)
 DoB: 23.09.84. 6’1″ / 1.86m. 14st 9lbs / 93kgs
 International record: Uncapped
 Mark JONES (LLANELLI SCARLETS)
 DoB: 07.11.79. 6’2″ / 1.88m. 14st 5lbs / 91kgs
 International record: 34 caps (W 13, L 19, D 2; 60 pts – 12T)
 Tom SHANKLIN (CARDIFF BLUES)
 DoB: 24.11.79. 6’2″ / 1.88m. 15st 9lbs / 99kgs
 International record: 46 caps (W 20, L 25, D 1; 85 pts – 17T)
 Jamie ROBINSON (CARDIFF BLUES)
 DoB: 07.04.80. 6’2″ / 1.88m. 15st 0lbs / 95kgs
 International record: 23 caps (W 8, L 15; 35 pts – 7T)
 Stephen JONES (LLANELLI SCARLETS)
 DoB: 08.12.77. 6’1″ / 1.86m. 14st 12lbs / 94kgs
 International record: 66 caps (W28,L36,D2; 569 pts – 6T,106C,106PG,3DG)
 Gavin HENSON (OSPREYS)
 DoB: 01.02.82. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 15st 7lbs / 98kgs
 International record: 22 caps (W 11, L 10, D 1; 130 pts – 3T,29C,18PG,1DG)
 Sonny PARKER (OSPREYS)
 DoB: 27.08.77. 6’1″ 1.86m. 15st 13lbs / 101kgs
 International record: 26 caps (W 12, L 14; 25 pts – 5T)
 Shane WILLIAMS (OSPREYS)
 DoB: 26.02.77. 5’7″ / 1.71m. 12st 13lbs / 82kgs
 International record: 51 caps (W 24, L 25, D 2; 175 pts – 35T)
 Tom JAMES (CARDIFF BLUES)
 DoB: 17.04.87. 6’2″ / 1.88m. 15st 1lb / 96kgs
 International record: 1 cap (L 1)
 James HOOK (OSPREYS)
 DoB: 27.06.85. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 14st 3lbs / 90kgs
 International record: 19 caps (W 6, L 12, D 1; 136 pts – 5T,24C,19PG,2DG)
 Ceri SWEENEY (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS)
 DoB: 21.01.80. 5’10” / 1.78m. 13st 9lbs / 87kgs
 International record: 34 caps (W 16, L 18; 88 pts – 4T, 25C, 5PG, 1DG)
 Michael PHILLIPS (OSPREYS)
 DoB: 29.08.82. 6’3″ / 1.91m. 16st 6lbs / 104kgs
 International record: 27 caps (W 12, L 14, D 1; 15 pts – 3T)
 Dwayne PEEL (LLANELLI SCARLETS)
 DoB: 31.08.81. 5’9″ / 1.76m. 13st 8lbs / 86kgs
 International record: 58 caps (W 25, L 31, D 2; 25 pts – 5T)
 Gareth COOPER (GLOUCESTER RUGBY)
 DoB: 07.05.79. 5’7″ / 1.71m. 13st 6lbs / 85kgs
 International record: 35 caps (W 17, L 18; 35 pts – 7T)
 Jonathan THOMAS (OSPREYS)
 DoB: 27.12.82. 6’5″ / 1.96m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
 International record: 38 caps (W 17, L 19, D 2; 35 pts – 7T)
 Alix POPHAM (LLANELLI SCARLETS)
 DoB: 17.10.79. 6’2″ / 1.88m. 17st 4lbs / 110kgs
 International record: 31 caps (W 12, L 18, D 1; 20 pts – 4T)
 Colin CHARVIS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS)
 DoB: 27.12.72. 6’2″. 18st 0lbs / 114kgs
 International record: 93 caps (W 42, L 49, D 2; 105 pts – 21T)
 Robin SOWDEN-TAYLOR (CARDIFF BLUES)
 DoB: 09.06.82. 6’1″. 15st 5lbs
 International record: 4 caps (W 2, L 2)
 Alun-Wyn JONES (OSPREYS)
 DoB: 19.09.85. 6’5″ / 1.96m. 18st 9lbs / 118kgs
 International record: 17 caps (W 6, L 11; 15 pts – 3T)
 Ian EVANS (OSPREYS)
 DoB: 04.10.84. 6’8″ / 2.04m. 18st 3lbs / 116kgs
 International record: 7 caps (W 2, L 4, D 1; 5 pts – 1T)
 Michael OWEN (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS)
 DoB: 07.11.80. 6’5″ / 1.96m. 18st 2lbs / 115kgs
 International record: 41 caps (W 19, L 21, D 1; 10 pts – 2T)
 Luke CHARTERIS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS)
 DoB: 09.03.83. 6’9″. 17st 3lbs
 International record: 6 caps (W 4, L 2)
 Ian GOUGH (OSPREYS)
 DoB: 10.11.76. 6′ 6″ / 1.98m. 18st 13lbs / 120kgs
 International record: 45 caps (W 18, L 24, D 3; 5 pts – 1T)
 Rhys THOMAS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS)
 DoB: 31.07.82. 82. 6’1″. 17st 6lbs
 International record: 2 caps (L 2)
 Adam Rhys JONES (OSPREYS)
 DoB: 08.03.81. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 20st 5lb / 129kgs
 International record: 44 caps (W 22, L 20, D 2; 5 pts – 1T)
 Huw BENNETT (OSPREYS)
 DoB: 11.06.83. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 16st 7lbs / 105kgs
 International record:
 Matthew REES (LLANELLI SCARLETS)
 DoB: 09.12.80. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 16st 9lbs / 106kgs
 International record: 16 caps (W 5, L 10, D 1; 10 pts – 2T)
 Thomas Rhys THOMAS (CARDIFF BLUES)
 DoB: 23.04.82. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 16st 8lbs / 105kgs
 International record: 25 caps (W 10, L 14, D 1; 5 pts – 1T)
 Gethin JENKINS (CARDIFF BLUES, CAPTAIN)
 DoB: 17.11.80. 6’2″ / 1.88m. 18st 9lbs / 118kgs
 International record: 52 caps (W 20, L 30, D 2; 15 pts – 3T)
 Duncan JONES (OSPREYS)
 DoB: 18.09.78. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 17st 6lbs / 111kgs
 International record: 44 caps (W 18, L 24, D 2)
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