Rob Howley benches Welsh training camp absentees

ROB Howley has delivered a blunt message to Wales’ expanding foreign legion of star players about their international prospects. Wales’ interim head coach has made a major call by leaving British and Irish Lions Test scrum-half Mike Phillips on the bench for Saturday’s autumn Test series opener against Argentina in Cardiff. Bayonne No 9 Phillips is among five members of the Wales autumn Test squad currently plying their trade in French or English club rugby.

Club commitments meant none of them were involved during last week’s punishing training camp in Poland, which was viewed by Howley as critical towards the autumn preparations. In contrast, Wales’ home-based players travelled to Spala because terms of a participation agreement signed between the four professional regional teams and Welsh Rugby Union ensured their availability. Phillips, James Hook (Perpignan) and Paul James (Bath) are available for Argentina and all three are on the bench.

Wales: L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); A Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Scarlets), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), G North (Scarlets); R Priestland (Scarlets), T Knoyle (Scarlets); G Jenkins (Toulon), M Rees (Scarlets), A Jarvis (Ospreys), A-W Jones (Ospreys), I Evans (Ospreys), J Turnbull (Scarlets), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons). Subs: R Hibbard (Ospreys), R Bevington (Ospreys), P James (Bath), R McCusker (Scarlets), J Tipuric (Ospreys), M Phillips (Bayonne), J Hook (Perpignan), L Williams (Scarlets).