Pivac blocked from picking Priestland for Wales

Wales have been unable to select Bath fly-half Rhys Priestland for their Six Nations squad due to the 60-cap eligibility rule.

Head coach Wayne Pivac had sought dispensation to select the 34-year-old, who has been heavily linked with a return to Wales next season. But he remains ineligible for selection as he has won 50 caps and plays in the Gallagher Premiership.

Jarrod Evans, the Cardiff Blues No 10, has instead joined Northampton’s Dan Biggar and Bristol’s Callum Sheedy as the fly-halves called up for the tournament.

Wales hope to have clarity by the end of the week on whether the selected players who are based in England, including Taulupe Faletau, Will Rowlands, Biggar, Sheedy and Louis Rees-zammit, will be able to remain within the Wales squad even in the fallow weeks of the Six Nations, which starts on Feb 6 and finishes on March 20.

“It would be sensible for everyone in the current climate. We don’t want players coming and going,” Pivac said. “We would like any players that we pick from outside to be here full-time, if we could. We’re just waiting for an answer on that.”

Priestland was not the only highprofile omission from Pivac’s squad, with in-form centre Jamie Roberts, also 34, failing to receive a recall, while Rhys Webb was also left out. Regarding Webb, Pivac offered a blunt assessment, revealing that the Wales coaching staff had “questioned his pace at the top end of the game” compared to the selected trio of scrum-halves, Gareth Davies, Tomos Williams and Kieran Hardy.

Pivac’s 36-man squad features one uncapped player in Scarlets back row Josh Macleod, while flanker Dan Lydiate has been recalled at the age of 33. Those additions come at the expense of Shane Lewis-hughes and James Botham.

“We think that [Lydiate] is the form six in the Pro14 and has been throughout the season. He brings a lot of experience,” Pivac said.

“James did well when he came in and has a big future, but at the moment we just think Josh is that little bit further ahead in his physicality.”

Wales have been boosted by Ken Owens and Josh Navidi returning from injury, while Alun Wyn Jones is on track to captain the side in their opening game against Ireland on Feb 7, following a knee injury.