Wales in Japan
Davies handed captaincy for Japan tour
ESPN Staff
May 21, 2013
Bradley Davies finds his path to the tryline blocked, Ireland v Wales, Six Nations, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, February 5, 2012
Bradley Davies will lead Wales to Japan © Getty Images
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Cardiff Blues lock Bradley Davies has been confirmed as Wales' tour captain for their two-Test series against Japan in June.

With the British & Irish Lions tour happening at the same time as Wales' trip to Japan, they are without their usual captaincy candidates Alun-Wyn Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Sam Warburton. And interim coach Rob McBryde also opted to rest Ryan Jones for their June tour.

And with that quartet unavailable, McBryde has handed the captaincy to the second-row. Davies, 26, missed the Six Nations through injury but he has been given the task of leading Wales' inexperienced squad to victory in Japan.

McBryde has now trimmed his original training squad to 27, with Scott Williams and Rhys Priestland missing out through injury, and he has opted to included nine uncapped players in the mix. In the pack Emyr Phillips and Scott Baldwin could get their chance alongside lock James King and No.8s Andries Pretorious and Dan Baker.

In the backs, McBryde has handed call-ups to fly-half Rhys Patchell, wing Dafydd Howells, centre Owen Williams and Steven Shingler. Wales face Eddie Jones' Japan in Osaka on June 8 and then in Tokyo on June 15 and McBryde has been impressed with his squad over the past few days.

"We've had the training squad together for more than a week and we've been impressed," said McBryde. "They have really put the effort in and stepped up as we have asked them to. Everyone in the training squad put their hand up for selection making our jobs much harder. It's a chance for these players now to experience the international Test environment and put their marker down."

Wales Squad:

Forwards: Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Scott Andrews (Blues), Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Bradley Davies (Blues), Lou Reed (Blues), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Dan Baker (Ospreys), Rob McCusker (Scarlets), Andries Pretorius (Blues).

Backs: Lloyd Williams (Blues), Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Patchell (Blues), Ashley Beck (Ospreys), Owen Williams (Blues), Jonathan Spratt (Ospreys), Dafydd Howells (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Harry Robinson (Blues), Tom Prydie (Dragons), Steven Shingler (London Irish).

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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