11 World Cup Warriors - 9 Welshmen and 2 Tongans
By Dai
September 1 2003
9 Warriors have been included in Steve Hansens squad for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. For all the information on the squad plus news of the Tongan squad read on.
Wales coach Steve Hansen has announced his World Cup squad which contains 9 Celtic Warriors. Kevin Morgan goes despite not playing since March along with fellow Warriors backs Gareth Thomas, Sonny Parker, Ceri Sweeney and Gareth Cooper.
In the forwards there is a surprise inclusion for Brent Cockbain along with Gethin Jenkins, Robert Sidoli and one of FOUR hookers in the squad Mefin Davies.
The Wales Squad for the World Cup reads:
BACKS
1 Kevin Morgan (Celtic Warriors) 2 Rhys Williams
(Cardiff Blues) 3 Garan Evans (Llanelli Scarlets) 4 Gareth Thomas (Celtic
Warriors) 5 Mark Jones (Llanelli Scarlets) 6 Mark Taylor (Llanelli Scarlets)
7 Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues) 8 Sonny Parker (Celtic Warriors) 9 Iestyn
Harris (Cardiff Blues) 10 Ceri Sweeney (Celtic Warriors) 11 Stephen Jones
(Llanelli Scarlets) 12 Dwayne Peel (Llanelli Scarlets) 13 Gareth Cooper
(Celtic Warriors) 14 Shane Williams (Neath-Swansea Ospreys)
FORWARDS
1 Jonathan Thomas (Neath-Swansea Ospreys) 2 Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues) 3
Colin Charvis (Unattached) 4 Dafydd Jones (Llanelli Scarlets) 5 Alix Popham
(Leeds Tykes) 6 Michael Owen (Gwent Dragons) 7 Gareth Llewellyn (Neath-Swansea
Ospreys) 8 Robert Sidoli (Celtic Warriors) 9 Brent Cockbain (Celtic Warriors)
10 Gethin Jenkins (Celtic Warriors) 11 Adam Jones (Neath-Swansea Ospreys) 12
Duncan Jones (Neath-Swansea Ospreys) 13 Iestyn Thomas (Llanelli Scarlets) 14
Gareth Williams (Cardiff Blues) 15 Robin McBryde (Llanelli Scarlets) 16 Huw
Bennett (Neath-Swansea Ospreys) 17 Mefin Davies (Celtic Warriors)
In other World Cup news, the Warriors pair Aesia Havili and Sililo Martens have been included in Tonga's 30 man World Cup squad. Both Havili and Martens have featured in Warriors games throughout the summer and so Lynn Howells and Allan Lewis will have a difficult job in finding replacements.
Martens looks set to be joined by Gareth Cooper at the World Cup which will leave us with Paul John as our only recognised scrum half in the Warriors squad although there is a possibilty of a short term role for new Pontypridd scrum half Tommy Walsh. Havili had a disappointing game against Bath for the Warriors but then responded the next week with a hat-trick of tries against the Sale Sharks and his pace and strength will be missed in the early months of the Celtic League campaign.
One thing that is unclear to us is the exact date that these 2 players will be made unavailable. Tonga have had problems with their two rugby league players Lesley Vainikolo and Tevita Vaikona who will not go to the World Cup because the Bradford Bulls are unwilling to release the players until their Super League campaign comes to a close although this seems to be an exceptional circumstance as the Yorkshire club are playing in a play-off match at the same time that Tonga play Italy. We believe that both Havili and Martens will be available during the first couple of matches but will then take part in a Tonga squad training camp just before the World Cup.