Morgan to be sole Wales captain against Barbarians

Jac Morgan will be sole Wales captain when they host Barbarians in Cardiff on Saturday, 4 November.

Gatland has named a 23-strong squad with no players from outside Wales available.

He has called in seven players to add to 16 tournament survivors and said: "Our next World Cup cycle starts now."

The encounter marks the start of an era of post-2023 World Cup transition for Wales.

Scarlets fly-half Sam Costelow is in pole position to claim the No 10 jersey for the long term.

With Dan Biggar retired and Gareth Anscombe Japan-bound along with injured full-back Liam Williams, Costelow has Ospreys' Cai Evans as his first rival for the fly-half shirt.

Gatland's selection was restricted to Wales-based players because the game is taking place outside the agreed Test match window, so even if he were fit, Gloucester's Louis Rees-Zammit would be unavailable.

Likewise Montpellier prop Henry Thomas and newly-France-based Tomas Francis and Harlequins' Dillon Lewis are unavailable.

Also unavailable are Exeter forwards Christ Tshiunza and Dafydd Jenkins, Leicester flanker Tommy Reffell and Racing 92 lock Will Rowlands.

Cardiff tight-head Keiron Assiratti and Dragons rival Leon Brown return to the Wales squad with the latter having recovered from a series of neck issues.

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The Baa-baas side will include former Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones and be coached by New Zealand's post-World Cup coach Scott Robertson and Australia boss Eddie Jones.

The broken arm Taulupe Faletau suffered as Wales beat Georgia in Nantes in the World Cup gives Aaron Wainwright another chance to press his case for the Wales number eight jersey in the long-term.

New Scarlets recruit Taine Plumtree - a potential Wales World Cup bolter before injury stymied his hopes - is back in contention in a back row pool that includes veteran Dan Lydiate.

Ospreys prop Nicky Smith, Dragons lock Ben Carter and Cardiff counterpart Teddy Williams are also called up.

In the backs, late Wales World Cup call up Kieran Hardy takes over from injured fellow Scarlet Gareth Davies at scrum-half while another player from the west Wales region, Tom Rogers, gets another chance to impress.

Welsh Rugby Union interim chief Nigel Walker has admitted it was a mistake to allow Wales' match against Barbarians to clash with the regional derby in which Scarlets host Cardiff - a game that kicks off an hour after the showpiece game in Cardiff.