Wales call up trio of backs for Ireland Six Nations clash

Outhalves Jarrod Evans and Gareth Anscombe and centre Max Llewellyn join squad

Outhalf Gareth Anscombe is one of three players called up to the Wales squad for the game against Ireland. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Outhalf Gareth Anscombe is one of three players called up to the Wales squad for the game against Ireland. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

Wales interim head coach Matt Sherratt has called up outhalves Jarrod Evans and Gareth Anscombe and centre Max Llewellyn ahead of the home Six Nations clash with Ireland in Cardiff on February 22nd.

Former coach Warren Gatland, who left his position by mutual consent on Tuesday after a 14th successive loss in a row to Italy this past weekend, had surprisingly left Anscombe and Llewellyn out of his squad for the Six Nations.

Sherratt, who will be in charge for the remainder of the championship but confirmed he does not want the job on a permanent basis, has called them in along with Evans, the Welsh Rugby Union confirmed on Thursday.

But centre Owen Watkin has left the squad after a knee injury sustained in the 43-0 loss to France in their opening fixture, while Liam Williams has been released after he too injured his knee in the same game.

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Meanwhile, Rob Howley will not be part of Wales’ coaching team for the final three games of the tournament despite remaining under contract with the WRU.

The former Wales scrumhalf, a coaching mainstay during Gatland’s first reign in charge of Wales, returned to the staff as an assistant ahead of last year’s Six Nations.