Wales
No one safe in Wales' World Cup squad: Halfpenny
ESPN Staff
August 16, 2015
Leigh Halfpenny admits no player is safe from Warren Gatland's World Cup axe.
Leigh Halfpenny admits no player is safe from Warren Gatland's World Cup axe.© Stu Forster/Getty Images

Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny admits nobody is safe from the axe ahead of next month's Rugby World Cup.

Warren Gatland has already shown that there is little place for reputation in his camp, cutting Richard Hibbard, James Hook and Mike Phillips last week as he trimmed his squad down to 38.

That means seven more names will be taken off the list before the final 31-man squad is named on August 31, and Halfpenny knows nothing can be taken for granted under the Kiwi head coach.

"You can never take for granted that you're going to be in the squad," said the 26-year-old.

"You have to be working as hard as you can and showing the coaches how much you want to be in that squad and earn the right to be in the squad for the World Cup.

"The commitment that has gone in from every player has been fantastic and everyone is pushing each other for a place in the squad."

Despite his comments, British & Irish Lions star Halfpenny is regarded as a near certainty to start for Gatland's side when they begin their Pool A campaign against Uruguay.

Wales will also face England, Fiji and Australia in their bid to reach the knockout stages, with Sam Warburton's men looking to go better than four years ago and reach the final this time around.

© ESPN Staff

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