Eight Ospreys have been named in Interim Head Coach, Matt Sherrat's 33-player Wales squad to travel to Japan this summer.
Hooker Dewi Lake will captain the 581-cap squad for the series. Garyn Phillips, James Ratti and Gareth Thomas are the other forwards named whilst Dan Edwards, Keelan Giles, Kieran Hardy and Reuben Morgan-Williams represent the backs.
Second-row Ben Carter, fly-half Sam Costelow and tight-head prop Archie Griffin all return having missed the Guinness Six Nations due to injury.
Kieran Hardy, Alex Mann, Josh Macleod, James Ratti, Johnny Williams and Cameron Winnett are all called up again for Wales in a squad that has an average age of 26.
Dafydd Jenkins will have elective surgery and Henry Thomas needs to seek specialist opinion on a long-term condition, so neither will join the squad this summer.
A decision has been taken to give Adam Beard and Will Rowlands a break this summer, so they have not been selected in the squad.
Sherratt said: “I’m excited to get the players together in camp to begin preparations for our summer campaign. I think there’s a good blend of experience and young talent selected and that this group has a lot of potential.
“Going to Japan this July is a challenge the coaches and I are relishing. We are expecting a fierce contest from Japan in these Test matches.
“Over the next few weeks in camp, it’s about working hard, getting all our prep right on and off the pitch and gelling together as a group.”
Players will assemble in Wales camp on a staggered basis from Monday depending on when their club season ends, before the squad flies out to Japan at the end of June.
The two-Test series against the Brave Blossoms begins with Wales returning to Kitakyushu, the city that hosted the squad for a training camp ahead of the world cup in 2019, where the first Test takes place on 5 July at Mikuni World Stadium.
Following that Wales head to Kobe for the second Test on July 12 at Noevir Stadium.
As the official Supporter Travel Partner of the WRU, Gullivers Sports Travel has exclusive packages for Wales’ Summer Tour to Japan. Fans looking to secure their spot should visit the Gulliver’s travel website.
Wales fans can also watch Japan at home in Cardiff later this year as part of the Autumn Nations Series. Tickets are on sale at WRU Member Clubs from today (Tuesday 20 May) at a £5 priority discount across all games and categories when bought from a club before 17th June.
This landmark initiative by the Welsh Rugby Union rewards grassroots supporters, with all WRU Member Clubs now able to offer discounted tickets to their members and communities.
The offer applies to every match and every ticket category, in addition to a 50% concession for U18% and students which was introduced last year, which means tickets for this Autumn Nations Series start from £10 for U18s and £20 for Adults, or £60 for a family of four.
Secure your tickets now, with prices starting from £10! Find your local rugby club here: Welsh Rugby Union | Club & Community | Club Finder
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Mae Prif Hyfforddwr dros dro Cymru, Matt Sherratt, wedi dewis 33 o chwaraewyr ar gyfer y daith haf i Japan pan fydd y Cymry’n chwarae dwy gêm brawf.
Y bachwr Dewi Lake fydd yn arwain y garfan – sydd wedi ennill 581 o gapiau rhyngddynt hyd yn hyn.
Wedi iddynt fethu â chwarae ym Mhencampwriaeth Chwe Gwlad Guinness eleni o ganlyniad i anafiadau – mae’r clo Ben Carter, y maswr Sam Costelow a’r prop pen tynn Archie Griffin yn dychwelyd i’r garfan.
Mae chwech o chwaraewyr sydd eto i ennill capiau wedi eu cynnwys sef Liam Belcher (bachwr Caerdydd), Chris Coleman (prop pen tynn y Dreigiau) a’r drinod o’r Gweilch Keelan Giles (asgellwr),Reuben Morgan-Williams (mewnwr) a Garyn Phillips (prop pen rhydd).
Mae Macs Page o’r Scarlets hefyd wedi ei ddewis am y tro cyntaf mewn carfan sy’n cynnwys 19 o flaenwyr ac 14 o olwyr. Oedran cyfartalog y garfan yw 26.
Mae Kieran Hardy, Alex Mann, Josh Macleod, James Ratti, Johnny Williams a Cameron Winnett wedi eu galw i’r garfan ryngwladol unwaith yn rhagor.
Gan bo Dafydd Jenkins yn disgwyl am driniaeth a bod angen cyngor meddygol arbenigol ar Henry Thomas am gyflwr hirdymor – ni ystyriwyd eu dewis i deithio i Japan.
Gwnaed y penderfyniad i gynnig cyfle i Adam Beard a Will Rowlands orffwyso ac felly nid yw’r ddau glo wedi eu cynnwys yn y garfan chwaith.
Dywedodd Matt Sherratt: “Rwy’n edrych ymlaen yn fawr at gael y garfan gyda’n gilydd fel y gallwn ni baratoi’n dda ar gyfer y daith. Mae gennym gymysgedd dda o brofiad, addewid a dawn sy’n gyfuniad cyffrous.
“Bydd teithio i Japan ar gyfer y ddwy gêm brawf yn cynnig gwir her i’r garfan ac mae’r holl dîm hyfforddi’n edrych ymlaen yn fawr at y profiad a’r dasg sydd o’n blaenau.
“Ein bwriad clir yw paratoi’n dylwyr ac effeithiol dros yr wythnosau nesaf a thynnu i’r un cyfeiriad fel carfan gyfan.”
Bydd y chwaraewyr yn ymuno gyda’r garfan ar wahanol adegau o ddydd Llun ymlaen. Bydd yr union ddyddiad hwnnw’n ddibynol ar pryd y gwnaeth eu clybiau unigol gwblhau eu tymor.
Ddiwedd mis Mehefin y bydd y garfan yn hedfan i Japan er mwyn chwarae’r ddwy gêm brawf.
Bydd y prawf cyntaf yn Stadiwm Mikuni World ar y 5ed o Orffennaf - yn gweld Cymru’n dychwelyd i ddinas Kitakyushu – sef cartref y garfan wrth baratoi ar gyfer Cwpan y Byd yn 2019.
Wythnos yn ddiweddarach bydd y daith yn dod i ben gyda’r ail brawf yn Stadiwm Noevir, Kobe ar y 12fed o Orffennaf.
Mae gan Gullivers Sports Travel – partneriaid teithio swyddogol Undeb Rygbi Cymru – becynnau teithio unigryw ar gyfer y daith haf hon i Japan. Dylai cefnogwyr sydd â diddordeb ymweld â gwefan y cwmni am yr holl fanylion.
Cofiwch hefyd y gallwch wylio Japan yma yng Nghymru’n ddiweddarach eleni yn ystod Cyfres yr Hydref. Bydd tocynnau ar werth trwy Glybiau Undeb Rygbi Cymru heddiw (Mai 20fed) gyda gostyngiad arbennig o £5 ar gael ar gyfer holl docynnau ym mhob categori.
Byddwch yn barod ar gyfer Hydref hudolus o rygbi rhyngwladol – gyda thocynnau ar gael o £10 yn unig. Dewch o hyd i’ch clwb rygbi lleol yma: Welsh Rugby Union | Club & Community | Club Finder
WALES SQUAD FOR JAPAN TEST SERIES
Forwards (19)
Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 14 caps)
Liam Belcher (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – uncapped / heb gap)
Ben Carter (Dragons / Dreigiau – 12 caps)
Chris Coleman (Dragons / Dreigiau – uncapped / heb gap
Elliot Dee (Dragons / Dreigiau – 56 caps)
Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 108 caps)
Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby / Caerfaddon – 6 caps)
Dewi Lake (Ospreys / Gweilch 20 caps) captain / capten
Josh Macleod (Scarlets – 2 caps)
Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 5 caps)
Garyn Phillips (Ospreys / Gweilch – uncapped / heb gap)
Taine Plumtree (Scarlets – 7 caps)
James Ratti (Ospreys / Gweilch – 1 cap)
Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers / Caerlŷr – 27 caps)
Nicky Smith (Leicester Tigers / Caerlŷr – 54 caps)
Gareth Thomas (Ospreys / Gweilch – 40 caps)
Freddie Thomas (Gloucester Rugby / Caerloyw – 3 caps)
Aaron Wainwright (Dragons / Dreigiau – 57 caps)
Teddy Williams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 6 caps)
Backs (14)
Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 61 caps)
Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 18 caps)
Dan Edwards (Ospreys / Gweilch – 2 caps)
Keelan Giles (Ospreys / Gweilch – uncapped / heb gap)
Kieran Hardy (Ospreys / Gweilch – 23 caps)
Reuben Morgan-Williams (Ospreys / Gweilch – uncapped / heb gap)
Blair Murray (Scarlets – 8 caps)
Macs Page (Scarlets – uncapped / heb gap)
Joe Roberts (Scarlets – 5 caps)
Tom Rogers (Scarlets – 9 caps)
Ben Thomas (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 12 caps)
Johnny Williams (Scarlets – 7 caps)
Rhodri Williams (Dragons / Dreigiau – 9 caps)
Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 9 caps)
