The Welsh coach Mike Ruddock's attempt to inspire his national side to fresh heights took on a whole new meaning yesterday when he included the tallest player in the country in a 29-man squad for the forthcoming internationals against South Africa, New Zealand, Romania and Japan.
At 6ft 9in, the uncapped Newport Gwent Dragons lock Luke Charter is the tallest Welsh forward to emerge since Derwyn Jones in the mid-1990s and Ruddock acknowledged yesterday they have been grooming the 21-year-old for Test rugby for some time.
"Luke's selection was part of our planning before the summer tour," said Ruddock, who has also included the former Celtic Warriors back-row forward Ryan Jones, now playing for the Neath-Swansea Ospreys.
"He [Jones] has the size to make an impact at international level," said Ruddock.
According to Ruddock, who plans to announce a long-term captain later this week and is looking forward to welcoming the Lions' coach Sir Clive Woodward into the camp before the November Test against the All Blacks, both players "have the potential to pick up their first caps during the series". Wales are currently without a number of injured players, such as the hooker Robin McBryde, the winger Mark Jones and the centres Jamie Robinson and Dafydd James.
Matt Dawson, meanwhile, says he is trying to keep a clear head in the build-up to his weekend return to his former club Northampton, now led by his Springbok bête noir Corne Krige. "It would be a lie to say I haven't thought about it because October 2 has been imprinted on my brain from the moment I was moving to Wasps," said Dawson.
"It would be easy to be a bit too emotional about going back to Franklin's Gardens but I do need to be very focused on what goes on with Wasps. The time to get emotional is after the game."
Dawson's new team-mate Trevor Leota has also promised to do everything in his considerable power to help Wasps after visa problems made him unavailable for the season's first four games. "I feel I let the club and fans down by missing almost a month of Zurich Premiership rugby," said Leota, who has finally secured a work permit and will now apply for permanent residency.
Northampton's full-back Bruce Reihana could face the Lions next summer after agreeing a two-year contract with the New Zealand Rugby Football Union. Reihana will rejoin his old province Waikato.
The Springbok coach Jake White has had his contract extended through to 2007. White, who succeeded Rudolf Straeuli in February, was originally contracted through to May 2006.
Wales: Backs: G Thomas (Toulouse), S Williams (Neath-Swansea), R Williams (Cardiff), Morgan (Cardiff), Taylor (Llanelli), Henson (Neath-Swansea), Parker (Neath-Swansea), Shanklin (Cardiff), S Jones (Montferrand), Sweeney (Newport-Gwent), Peel (Llanelli), Cooper (Dragons).
Forwards : Duncan Jones (Neath-Swansea), I Thomas (Llanelli), Jenkins (Cardiff), A Jones (Neath-Swansea), G Williams (Cardiff), M Davies (Neath-Swansea), Cockbain (Neath-Swansea), Owen (Dragons), Charteris (Dragons), Llewellyn (Narbonne), Sidoli (Cardiff), Thomas (Neath-Swansea), Dafydd Jones (Llanelli), Charvis (Newcastle), M Williams (Cardiff), R Jones (Neath-Swansea), Popham (Leeds).
