Sam Warburton will play for the Blues this weekend © PA Photos

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Sam Warburton is one of 10 players released by the Welsh Rugby Union for domestic duty ahead of the weekend's RaboDirect PRO12 programme.

The list, announced by the Welsh Rugby Union, also includes Ospreys trio Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb and Ryan Bevington, in addition to Scarlets prop Samson Lee and Warburton's Blues team-mate Gethin Jenkins.

Warburton made his first start in more than two months after recovering from a shoulder injury when Wales were beaten 26-3 by Ireland in Dublin last weekend. Prop Jenkins, who also started at the Aviva Stadium, is another player who has lacked game-time due to injury.

"When we look back, there was probably four of that forward pack that hadn't had a lot of rugby in terms of Sam and Gethin, while Adam Jones hadn't played a lot and Andrew Coombs hadn't had a lot of rugby," Gatland explained to Wales Online. "We have released some players back that haven't had a lot of rugby.

"We've also got to recognise the Ospreys are playing on Sunday and we have got a Friday night game against France. I have spoken to Steve Tandy about some of the players we have released playing 40 minutes, while some will play a bit longer than that. We've got to be careful with the five-day turnaround that we don't have too many players involved because it will severely hamper our preparation for France."

Both Jenkins and Warburton are now likely to be involved for Cardiff Blues when they host Glasgow on Saturday, ahead of Wales resuming Six Nations action in a Millennium Stadium appointment with France the following Friday night.

Released Players:

Scarlets: Samson Lee, Emyr Phillips

Ospreys: Ryan Bevington, James King, Dan Baker, Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb, Ashley Beck

Cardiff Blues: Gethin Jenkins, Sam Warburton