Autumn internationals: Dan Biggar out injured as Wales name squad

Wales skipper Dan Biggar has been ruled retired of the autumn bid with a genu wounded with Wayne Pivac naming 5 caller caps.

Ken Owens, Leigh Halfpenny and Justin Tipuric person been recalled.

Pivac has not named a caller skipper for the autumn bid yet and volition determine person to the opening game.

Northampton's Biggar, flanker Taine Basham, prop Leon Brown, fastener Seb Davies, prop Wyn Jones, back-row Josh Navidi, centre Johnny Williams and full-back Liam Williams person not been considered due to the fact that of injuries.

Wales statesman their run against New Zealand connected 5 November earlier further internationals against Argentina, Georgia and Australia.

Pivac has named a 35-man squad with 20 forwards and 15 backs.

There are recalls for Ospreys duo Nicky Smith and Jac Morgan, Dragons prop Rhodri Jones, Cardiff fly-half Rhys Priestland, portion determination is nary country for Gareth Davies, Rhys Carre and Thomas Young.

Captain conundrum

Biggar was ruled retired of the autumn internationals aft suffering a genu injury.

The Northampton fly-half limped disconnected successful the 42nd infinitesimal of their triumph implicit Wasps connected 9 October and has seen a specialist.

Northampton had said Biggar volition proceed to beryllium assessed by the Saints' aesculapian section up of the autumn internationals.

Biggar took implicit the Wales captaincy past play from Alun Wyn Jones and impressed, particularly connected the summertime circuit of South Africa.

Ospreys fastener Adam Beard was vice-captain past season, portion Will Rowlands has taken implicit the Dragons enactment role.

Tipuric is Ospreys skipper portion Owens led Scarlets for 7 seasons.

"For america it's astir finalising the squad contiguous and past we'll look intimately astatine who's going to pb the side," added Pivac.

"We person rather a fewer options with a batch of acquisition successful the squad now. There's astir apt an accidental for much than 1 skipper successful this series."

Fresh faces

Scarlets half-backs Costelow and Blacker are included, portion Macleod is named arsenic 1 of the backmost enactment aft recovering from semipermanent injury.

Dyer has impressed for the Dragons connected past helping portion centre Hawkins is included contempt not featuring overmuch for his portion this season.

"There's a batch of young players we've been keeping an oculus connected for a fig of years done the property radical strategy and present playing nine rugby," added Pivac.

"There's a presumption of the present and present successful this squad, but besides beyond Rugby World Cup 2023 to the tourney successful 2027, truthful there's immoderate young guys getting the accidental to sensation the campy environment. They whitethorn oregon whitethorn not get crippled time, but it volition beryllium a large acquisition for them.

"Dane Blacker has been playing good astatine 9 for the Scarlets. We cognize a batch astir Gareth (Davies) it's not the extremity of the roadworthy for Gareth, I've spoken to him. Sam Costelow is different young subordinate astatine the Scarlets playing good and having travel done the property people system.

"Joe Hawkins is the same, helium captained the under-20s truthful he's a subordinate for the future. Rio Dyer came into campy up of the South Africa Test Series to assistance the squad hole and performed well. He's presently playing truly good for the Dragons."

More to follow

Wales squad for autumn internationals

Forwards: Rhodri Jones (Dragons), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Ryan Elias (Scarlet), Dewi Lake (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Ospreys), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Rugby), Sam Wainwright (Saracens), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Ben Carter (Dragons Rugby), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Will Rowlands (Dragons Rugby), Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Josh MacLeod (Scarlets), Jac Morgan (Ospreys), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs).

Backs: Dane Blacker (Scarlets), Kieran Hardy (Scarlets), Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby), Gareth Anscombe (Ospreys), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Cardiff Rugby), Joe Hawkins (Ospreys), George North (Ospreys), Nick Tompkins (Saracens), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby), Alex Cuthbert (Ospreys), Rio Dyer (Dragons Rugby), Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets), Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby)