Magners League Official Website : Rees wins Wales call up

Rees wins Wales call up

2 June 2005, 10:49 am

By Jonathan McConnell

There is only one new cap in the Wales side to face the USA on Saturday – with 24-year-old Llanelli Scarlets hooker Matthew Rees selected in the absence of the injured Mefin Davies.

The side will be skippered by Mark Taylor who is winning his 50th cap ``It is a great honour to be captaining Wales again and winning my 50th cap at the same time makes it extra special,'' said Taylor.
Coach Mike Ruddock said: ``I am delighted for Mark that he is leading the team out for his 50th cap - he has been, and still is, a great servant to Wales.

``He is still in great shape and he has already been hugely influential with the younger players on this tour. He also still has a huge amount of ambition, hence his new three-year deal with Sale.''

Ruddock insisted he has no regrets about his decision to include Cardiff Blues players in the side following Sunday's Heineken Cup play-off against Arix iadana in Italy.

The coach continued: ``I'm quite comfortable slotting the Blues backs straight into the team after their game on Sunday, though I've resisted the temptation to start the Blues forwards in this game because physically they need more time to recover.

``Despite losing 10 players to the Lions and others to injury, we have picked a strong and experienced side with just one new cap in the starting line-up. Matthew will win his first cap through Mefin Davies' injury and it is an opportunity for Matthew to show what he can do.

``He has played well for the Scarlets all season, is very active in the line-out and has been busy both in attack and defence. Ceri Sweeney will take over the role Gavin Henson played at 12 in the Six Nations, acting as a second play-maker and as a kicker and passer. It is good to see Duncan Jones back after missing the Six Nations and we wanted Luke Charteris to start and gain more international experience.

``It is important we have a strong backbone to the side in order to build on our recent performances and we will look to gain a balance in the team across the two Tests.''

Ruddock added: ``We are looking forward to the challenge of playing the USA. They have two games under their belts in the past few weeks - they narrowly lost 30-26 to Canada and beat Romania 28-22.

``They are a very settled team with some exciting runners behind including Francois Viljoen, Mike Palefau, Paul Emerick and Mike Hercus. They have a very big, aggressive pack and, with Kort Schubert as captain, they will know a lot about the Wales team.''
Wales team:
K Morgan (Newport Gwent), R Williams (Cardiff), M Taylor (Sale, captain), C Sweeney (Newport Gwent), C Morgan (Cardiff), N Robinson (Cardiff), M Phillips (Cardiff); D Jones (Neath-Swansea), M Rees (Llanelli), A Jones (Neath-Swansea), B Cockbain (Neath-Swansea), L Charteris (Newport Gwent), J Thomas (Neath-Swansea), C Charvis (Newcastle), R Jones (Neath-Swansea).

Replacements: R Thomas (Cardiff), B Broster (Saracens), I Gough (Newport Gwent), R Pugh (Neath-Swansea), A Williams (Bath), M Watkins (Llanelli), T Selley (Llanelli).