Warren Gatland has appointed Ken Owens as the captain of the Wales team for the forthcoming 2023 Six Nations competition.
Owens succeeds longtime Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones as captain and defeated Dan Biggar and Justin Tipuric, who had captained the squad previously, for the top leadership position.
Netflix has announced a behind-the-scenes Six Nations documentary.
Gatland, who is returning for a second spell as Wales coach following Wayne Pivac’s dismissal late last year, has selected seven uncapped players for the 37-man team. Rhys Davies, Keiran Williams, Mason Grady, Teddy Williams, Rio Dyer, Joe Hawkins, and Dafydd Jenkins are the newcomers.
There are also welcome returns from Leon Brown, Rhys Carre, Rhys Patchell, Aaron Wainwright, Rhys Webb, and Owen Williams, as well as Wyn Jones, Dewi Lake, and Liam Williams, who missed Wales’s end-of-year Tests due to injury.
European URC teams will compete in South Africa during the Six Nations.
“It’s a larger squad than I’d normally name, but we want to have a successful Six Nations and also prepare for the World Cup,” Gatland added.
“We’ve brought in some young players, and we also have some older, highly experienced ones to handle.
“Over the next ten months, this will be a significant challenge, so we’re evaluating the entire squad and how to achieve the proper balance.”
Eddie Jones has already set his sights on the Springboks.
Backs — Kieran Hardy (Scarlets), Rhys Webb, Tomos Williams (Cardiff), Dan Biggar (Toulon/FRA), Rhys Patchell (Scarlets), Owen Williams (Ospreys), Rhys Patchell (Scarlets), Mason Grady (Cardiff), Joe Hawkins (Ospreys), George North (Ospreys), Nick Tompkins (Saracens/ENG), Keiran Williams (Cardiff).
Ken Owens (Scarlets, captain), Rhys Carre (Cardiff), Wyn Jones (Scarlets), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Dewi Lake (Ospreys), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Dewi Lake (Ospreys), Bradley Roberts (Dragons), Leon Brown (Dragons), Tomas Francis (Ospreys), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff), Adam Beard (O (Dragons).
»Wales’ Six Nations title defense will be led by a new captain«