“Saturday is a real opportunity for these players to put their hand up,” said Warren Gatland, who will hand Gloucester’s James Hook the number 10 shirt
Warren Gatland has told England that far from being aggrieved they should feel fortunate to have had Ross Moriarty at under-20 level and expressed how much he is looking forward to watching the flanker with “a nasty side” make his Wales debut against Ireland on Saturday.
Moriarty, 21, is one of four first-timers in the starting XV for the opening Rugby World Cup warm-up at a sold-out Millennium Stadium. Yet while there will be much scrutiny on the performances of centre Tyler Morgan, wing Eli Walker and lock Dominic Day – and indeed on veteran half-backs James Hook and Mike Phillips – as they try to force their way into the final squad, the spotlight will pick out Moriarty.
Born in St Helens when his father, Paul, was playing rugby league for Widnes, Moriarty was brought up in Swansea before attending Hartpury College in Gloucester. He opted to go through the England age levels, eventually winning back-to-back Under-20s World Cups. Quick to make his impression after earning a professional contract at Kingsholm, Moriarty appeared on the England senior radar before Gatland swooped. The Kiwi, however, does not see it like that.
“I actually think it was a coup for England to get Ross playing for their under-20s after his father played for Wales,” Gatland said, before listing his attributes. “He’s got an edge, he’s very explosive and there’s a bit of a nasty side about him that fits into the rugby mould. I’m really looking forward to seeing how he goes.”
Gatland will have much to study from a 23 which in his words is “a mixture of young players and experience”. The 47-strong training squad will be trimmed to 36 or 38 after next week’s North Wales training camp, before the final 31 are selected on Aug 31.
“If I reflect back on 2011 we are significantly long way ahead,” Gatland said. “We’ve taken them right to the edge of cliff and nearly pushed them over on occasion. There have been a couple of little niggles and fights at training… there is a bit of tension in the air. They are aware of how important Saturday is.”
Team details
WALES (v Ireland, Millennium Stadium, Saturday): H Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons); A Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), T Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Williams (Scarlets, capt), E Walker (Ospreys); J Hook (Gloucester), M Phillips (Racing Metro); N Smith (Ospreys), R Hibbard (Gloucester), A Jarvis (Ospreys), J Ball (Scarlets), D Day (Bath), R Moriarty (Gloucester), J Tipuric (Ospreys), D Baker (Ospreys).
Replacements: R Evans (Scarlets), K Dacey (Cardiff Blues), S Andrews (Cardiff Blues), J King (Ospreys), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), L Williams (Cardiff Blues), G Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), M Morgan (Bristol).
