Confident Gatland set to name Warburton as youngest skipper

Wales coach Warren Gatland will be short on surprises when he names his World Cup squad today.

Gatland’s 30-man group for New Zealand is likely to contain nine survivors – four backs and five forwards – from the failed 2007 World Cup mission when Wales made a pool stage exit under his coaching predecessor Gareth Jenkins.

Flanker Sam Warburton is poised to fill the captaincy role vacated by injured Lions Test hooker Matthew Rees, making him Wales’ youngest World Cup skipper at the age of 22.

Gatland’s main selection debates appear to be in the back-row and his final split of forwards and backs, whether he goes with a 17-13 combination or 16-14.

Three specialist locks – Bradley Davies, Alun-Wyn Jones and Luke Charteris – will make the trip to New Zealand, with Ryan Jones providing second-row cover.

Wing George North, who has scored an impressive six tries in eight Tests, is set to be the squad’s youngest player, aged 19, with two 20-year-olds, Toby Faletau and centre Scott Williams, also travelling.

Players who appear destined to miss out on selection could include scrum-half Dwayne Peel, wing Aled Brew, plus back-row forwards Andy Powell, Gareth Delve and Justin Tipuric.

“The debate for us is whether it is a 17-13 or 16-14 split,” said Gatland, after Wales completed their tournament preparations with a 28-13 victory over Argentina on Saturday. “There are one or two positions to juggle a bit. We are in great shape physically, we’ve won five of our last seven games and so we have to have confidence when we get on the plane.”

Gatland has already lost Rees (neck), centre Gavin Henson (wrist) and wing Morgan Stoddart (broken leg) from what promises to be a tough World Cup expedition given that Wales are grouped alongside South Africa, Samoa, Fiji and Namibia.

Gatland has gone on record as saying he could name “one, maybe two” players carrying injuries in his squad, and Wales will also need to monitor an ankle problem suffered by hooker Richard Hibbard yesterday. Hibbard made his comeback in the Argentina clash following shoulder surgery, but there could now be an 11th hour opening for Scarlets hooker Ken Owens.

Wales, without remotely hitting top gear, saw off the Pumas through tries from Powell, North and lock Alun-Wyn Jones, while James Hook made another assured contribution, kicking 13 points.