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Wales call up Ulster hooker as cover for Ken Owens
By Ian Cameron
Ulster have had to look to Ireland to supply them with a Welsh qualified hooker following an injury to frontrow veteran Ken Owens.
Owens, sidelined by a back problem that will require a scan, has been replaced in the starting line-up set to face New Zealand this weekend by his fellow Scarlets hooker Ryan Elias, with uncapped Cardiff player Kirby Myhill providing bench cover.
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac said: “It’s a big blow to lose any player that you have initially selected. We have selected a certain side and trained a certain way. It is a disruption, but it’s a massive chance for Ryan.
“Ken has got a back problem. We rested him from training on Tuesday, and we asked him to do a couple of things this morning. We checked him again just after lunch, and the decision was made that he won’t be right and we won’t risk him.”
However, the WRU have opted to add an additional hooker to their Autumn Nations Series squad, confirming a call-up for Ulster's Bradley Roberts.
A WRU statement reads: "Wales have called on the services of hooker Bradley Roberts, following the announcement of Ken Owens’ back injury. The 25-year-old has made ten appearances for Ulster, most recently as a try scoring replacement against Connacht last weekend.
"South African-born Roberts has represented RGC before moving to Northern Ireland and later joining Ulster for the 2020/21 season.
"Roberts is eligible to play for Wales through his paternal grandmother, who hailed from Llandysul."
It's been a meteoric rise for Roberts, who only signed his first professional contract earlier this year after joining Ulster as injury cover in 2020.
The 5'9, 108kg frontrow joined Ulster from Rainey Old Boys RFC as injury cover. The 25-year–old had been part of the Rainey set-up since 2017 and played a pivotal role in the club’s promotion to Division 2A of the All-Ireland League in the 2018/19 season.
- additional reporting PA
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Latest Comments
Does anyone know a way to loook at how many mins each player has played whilst on tour?
Go to commentsIt certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
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