WARRIORS wing Josh Adams has been included in Wales’ 42-man training squad for this year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Adams was one of Wales’ outstanding players in their Grand Slam-winning campaign this year and scored three tries in their five matches to take his haul to four tries in 11 internationals.
Adams is one of 36 members of the Six Nations-winning squad in the training squad which includes two uncapped players in prop Rhys Carre and wing Owen Lane.
The players will link up with Wales on a rolling start, after each has received four weeks off following their final club match. Preparations will begin at the state-of-the-art WRU National Centre of Excellence with the whole squad expected in camp by the middle to end of June.
The rigorous schedule will prepare the squad for their first overseas training camp in the Swiss Alps where they will ‘live high’ and ‘train low’ in the resort of Fiesch then return to Cardiff for more preparation ahead of back-to-back fixtures against England at Twickenham (August 11) and Principality Stadium respectively (August 17).
On the field, Warriors travel to Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday (3pm) to face Northampton Saints after securing another year in rugby’s top flight with a 27-20 derby day win against Gloucester in front of a packed Sixways crowd.
Alan Solomons’ men made it two home wins in a row after a five-try showing against Sale Sharks as Warriors made it 11 home wins for the season in all first team competitions.
Tries from Duncan Weir, Niall Annett and Darren Barry and Weir’s accurate kicking sealed the win but this was a victory based on superb defence against a Gloucester side who threw everything at them.
In the end Weir’s kicking proved decisive as the former Scotland ace converted all three tries and he also landed two first half penalties, while Billy Twelvetrees managed to convert only one of Gloucester’s three tries.
Roared on by a near-10,000 crowd, most of them waving gold flags, Warriors were good value for their victory, which leaves Newcastle Falcons and Leicester Tigers to scrap for survival.
The victory put Warriors 11 points ahead of basement boys Newcastle Falcons who are nine points behind 11th-placed Leicester Tigers with just two games to go.
Just seven points seperate Sale Sharks in sixth and Warriors in tenth, meaning the Sixways side could yet cap the season off with their highest ever Gallagher Premiership finishing spot.