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Rugby Union

Wales pick Fury, Bishop and Davies in SA squad

14/05/2008

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has named three uncapped players in his 27-man squad for this summer's tour of South Africa.

Ospreys centre Andrew Bishop, London Irish scrum-half Warren Fury and Cardiff Blues second row Bradley Davies could all make their international debuts on the two-Test tour next month.

Gatland has kept faith with all 23 players taken on the ten-day training camp to Wexford in Ireland last week and added only Gloucester duo Gareth Delve and Gareth Cooper and Scarlets wing Mark Jones, along with Davies.

This means there is no place for veteran back-row forward Colin Charvis, while a number of other experienced heads - including Dwayne Peel, Gavin Henson and Alix Popham - are ruled out through injury.

Charvis' exclusion is something of a surprise given that there is no specialist open-side flanker in the squad. The three main options at the position, Martyn Williams, Robin Sowden-Taylor and Ben Lewis, are all injured.

The Six Nations champions will play the 2007 World Cup winners in Bloemfontein on Saturday June 7th, with the second Test in Pretoria on Saturday June 14th for the Prince William Cup.

South Africa currently hold the trophy following their 34-12 victory at the Millennium Stadium last November, which was former Springboks coach Jake White's last game.

Full Wales squad for South Africa tour:

Backs
Morgan Stoddart, Andrew Bishop, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams, Tom James, Mark Jones, Sonny Parker, Tom Shanklin, Stephen Jones, James Hook, Andy Williams, Warren Fury, Gareth Cooper.

Forwards
Ryan Jones (captain), Dafydd Jones, Jonathan Thomas, Gareth Delve, Bradley Davies, Ian Evans, Alun-Wyn Jones, Ian Gough, Duncan Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Rhys Thomas, Adam Jones, Matthew Rees, Huw Bennett.