SIX NATIONS SQUADS

Wales

Thomas Young is in the Wales squad as Warren Gatland finally gives the Wasps flanker his chance. Leigh Halfpenny also makes it despite still struggling with concussion symptoms. AlunWyn Jones will lead the side again and will hit 50 appearances in the tournament if he plays the first two matches against France and Italy away from home.

Wales are on a run of nine consecutive wins having swept the Autumn Tests for the first time – but are still as long as 5-1 to win the tournament behind favourites Ireland and then England with some bookmakers.

FORWARDS: Rob Evans (Scarlets), Wyn Jones (Scarlets), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Elliot Dee (Dragons), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Leon Brown (Dragons), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Seb Davies (Cardiff Blues), Cory Hill (Dragons), Alun Wyn Jones (c) (Ospreys) Ross Moriarty (Dragons), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Josh Turnbull (Cardiff Blues), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), Thomas Young (Wasps)

BACKS: Aled Davies (Ospreys), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Tomos Williams (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Dan Biggar (Northampton), Jarrod Evans (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Patchell (Scarlets), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Scott Williams (Ospreys), Josh Adams (Worcester), Hallam Amos (Dragons), Steffan Evans (Scarlets), Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets), Jonah Holmes (Leicester), George North (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Saracens)

Ireland

Grand Slam champions Ireland have called-up three uncapped players in their 38-man squad to play England and Scotland next month.

Connacht trio Caolin Blade, Jack Carty and Tom Farrell have been selected by head coach Joe Schmidt as they bid to defend their title. Schmidt has been handed a boost in that he’s been able to choose Ulster lock Iain Henderson who has made a speedy recovery from a thumb injury.

FORWARDS: Rory Best (c) (Ulster), Sean Cronin (Leinster), Niall Scannell (Munster); Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Dave Kilcoyne (Munster), Jack McGrath (Leinster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), John Ryan (Munster); Tadgh Beirne (Munster), Ultan Dillane (Connacht), Iain Henderson (Ulster), James Ryan (Leinster), Devin Toner (Leinster); Jack Conan (Leinster), Jordi Murphy (Ulster), Sean O’Brien (Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Rhys Ruddock (Leinster), CJ Stander (Munster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster)

BACKS: Will Addison (Ulster), Andrew Conway (Munster), Keith Earls (Munster), Rob Kearney (Leinster), Jordan Larmour (Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster). Centres: Bundee Aki (Connacht), Chris Farrell (Munster), Tom Farrell (Connacht), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster); Joey Carbery (Munster), Jack Carty (Connacht), Johnny Sexton (Leinster); Caolin Blade (Connacht), John Cooney (Ulster), Conor Murray (Munster)

Scotland

Gregor Townsend has named seven uncapped players in his 39-man Scotland squad. A trio of hookers – Edinburgh’s David Cherry, Leicester’s Jake Kerr and Grant Stewart of Glasgow – have been handed call-ups following injuries to Fraser Brown and George Turner. They are joined by Newcastle back rower Gary Graham, Glasgow’s tighthead D’Arcy Rae and centre Sam Johnson, while centre Chris Dean of Edinburgh is also selected.

FORWARDS: Alex Allan (Glasgow Warriors), Allan Dell (Edinburgh), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow); Simon Berghan (Edinburgh), Willem Nel (Edinburgh), D’Arcy Rae (Glasgow Warriors); Dave Cherry (Edinburgh), Jake Kerr (Leicester Tigers), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh), Grant Stewart (Glasgow Warriors); Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs), Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors), Ben Toolis (Edinburgh); Adam Ashe (Glasgow Warriors), Gary Graham (Newcastle), John Hardie (Newcastle), Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh), Josh Strauss (Sale Sharks), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors)

BACKS: Darcy Graham (Edinburgh), Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors), Lee Jones (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh), Sean Maitland (Saracens), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors); Chris Dean (Edinburgh), Nick Grigg (Glasgow Warriors), Chris Harris (Newcastle Falcons), Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors); Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors), Finn Russell (Racing 92); George Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (c) (Clermont Auvergne), Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors)

Italy

David Sisi has been called up by Conor O’Shea as the Azzurri look to build on a record of just six wins from 26 Tests since O’Shea took charge in 2016. However the Italians will be without two of their biggest stars because Gloucester man Jake Polledri and electric fullback Matteo Minozzi have both been ruled out through injury. FORWARDS: Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby), Andrea Lovotti (Zebre), Tiziano Pasquali (Benetton), Cherif Traore (Benetton), Giosue Zilocchi (Zebre), Luca Bigi (Benetton), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Stade Toulousian), Dean Budd (Benetton), Federico Ruzza (Benetton), David Sisi (Zebre), Alessandro Zanni (Benetton), Marco Barbini (Benetton), Maxime Mbanda (Zebre), Sebastian Negri (Benetton), Sergio Parisse (c) (Stade Francais), Abraham Jurgens Steyn (Benetton), Jimmy Tuivaiti (Zebre) BACKS: Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre), Tito Tebaldi (Benetton), Tommaso Allan (Benetton), Carlo Canna (Zebre), Ian McKinley (Benetton), Giulio Bisegni (Zebre), Michele Campagnaro (Wasps), Tommaso Castello (Zebre), Luca Morisi (Benetton), Tommaso Benvenuti (Benetton), Angelo Esposito (Benetton), Jayden Hayward (Benetton), Edoardo Padovani (Zebre), Luca Sperandio (Benetton)

France

Jacques Brunel has named five uncapped players in his 31-man squad. Romain Ntamack, who was part of France’s U20 World Cup-winning side, has been included along with Dorian Aldegheri, Gregory Alldritt and Thomas Ramos.

Montpellier’s South Africanborn lock Paul Willemse makes it in after recently qualifying through residency but Alivereti Raka, the Fijian-born winger, misses out with injury – as do Teddy Thomas and Yoann Maestri.

FORWARDS: Dorian Aldegheri (Toulouse), Gregory Alldritt (La Rochelle), Uini Atonio (La Rochelle), Demba Bamba (Brive), Pierre Bourgarit (La Rochelle), Yacouba Camara (Montpellier), Guilhem Guirado (c) (Toulon), Arthur Iturria (Clemont), Felix Lambey (Lyon), Wenceslas Lauret (Racing 92), Bernard Le Roux (Racing 92), Julien Marchand (Toulouse), Louis Picamoles (Montpellier), Jefferson Poirot (Bordeaux Begles), Dany Priso (La Rochelle), Sebastien Vahaamahina (Clermont), Paul Willemse (Montpellier)

BACKS: Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Anthony Belleau (Toulon), Geoffrey Doumayrou (La Rochelle), Antoine Dupont (Toulouse), Gael Fickou (Stade Francais), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Camille Lopez (Clermont), Maxime Medard (Toulouse), Romain Ntamack (Toulouse), Morgan Parra (Clermont), Damian Penaud (Clermont), Thomas Ramos (Toulouse), Baptiste Serin (Bordeaux-Begles)