Wales dealt blow as Peel ruled out of England Test

WALES have suffered an injury blow ahead of their RBS 6 Nations opener against England with scrum-half Dwayne Peel ruled out.

Sale Sharks player Peel is due to undergo a scan today after suffering a groin injury in Saturday's Heineken Cup defeat against Cardiff Blues.

Peel has not been named in a 35-man Six Nations squad by Wales head coach Warren Gatland.

With Peel's fellow British and Irish Lion Mike Phillips also sidelined due to injury, Scarlets' No9 Martin Roberts is favourite to start at Twickenham on 6 February.

Gatland has cast one eye to the future by naming young Ospreys Tom Prydie and Kristian Phillips in his squad, together with Saracens prop Rhys Gill and in-form Blues scrum-half Richie Rees.

But the rookies are backed up by the return of several key personnel, including Lee Byrne and Adam Jones.

"We are now at the beginning of our countdown to the World Cup and this slightly larger squad reflects that," said Gatland."

WALES SQUAD: Backs: D Biggar (Ospreys), A Bishop (Ospreys), L Byrne (Ospreys), G Cooper (Cardiff Blues), J Davies (Scarlets), L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), J Hook (Ospreys), T James (Cardiff Blues), S Jones (Scarlets), K Phillips (Ospreys), T Prydie (Ospreys), R Rees (Cardiff Blues), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), M Roberts (Scarlets), T Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Ospreys). Forwards: H Bennett (Ospreys), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), R Gill (Saracens), I Gough (Ospreys), P James (Ospreys), G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), A Jones (Ospreys), AW Jones (Ospreys), D Jones (Cardiff Blues), R Jones (captain), E Lewis-Roberts (Sale) , D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), A Powell (Cardiff Blues), M Rees (Scarlets), J Thomas (Ospreys), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues), G Williams (Cardiff Blues), M Williams (Cardiff Blues).