All five Dragons have been selected for the final squad for the World Cup in New Zealand. Aled Brew, Lloyd Burns, Luke Charteris, Toby Faletau and Dan Lydiate all impressed in Wales' three pre-Cup clashes. This is the most Dragons players ever selected for a Rugby World Cup team. While players such as Charteris have been a fixture in the Welsh squad for years, this is a large step for others but they are eager to rise to the challenge.
"I’m delighted,” said Dragons wing Aled Brew. “It’s great to be going and it hasn’t really sunk in yet. It will be all the more enjoyable to be going with the other Dragons boys – we’ve all worked really hard so it’s great to have the chance to be involved in a World Cup!”
“It’s been a long hard summer so it’s a really great feeling to be going,” said Luke Charteris. “It’s fantastic that all the boys from the Dragons are going – it shows how far we have come as a region.
“I know it will be tough with five of us missing, but after the game against Russia the boys seem to be doing just fine without us! I’m coming down to the game tomorrow night against Leeds so I’ll get another look at the Dragons before we leave for New Zealand but we have always had boys who step up and take their opportunities so this is a great chance for some of our emerging players."
Dragons hooker Lloyd Burns, who famously had to stay off the bubbly at his wedding in the summer as he was an unexpected selection for the Welsh match against the Barbarians is delighted with his selection. “It’s totally awesome,” said Lloyd Burns. “Toby (Faletau) and I were just sitting in a café having a coffee when we heard the news so I’m a bit in shock.
“It’s a bit of a dream come true for me. Last summer I was working on a building site and now I’m going to the World Cup!
“It’s great news for the Dragons that so many are going – it shows what we can achieve.”
Everyone here at the Dragons would like to congratulate the boys and wish them all the best in New Zealand.
WALES 2011 RUGBY WORLD CUP SQUAD
Forwards: Gethin Jenkins (Blues), Lloyd Burns (Dragons), Huw Bennett, Ryan Bevington, Adam Jones, Paul James (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets, Craig Mitchell (Exeter), Bradley Davies, Sam Warburton (Blues), Luke Charteris, Danny Lydiate, Toby Faletau (Dragons), Ryan Jones, Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Andy Powell (Sale Sharks).
Backs: Michael Phillips (Bayonne), Lloyd Williams (Blues), Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Blues), James Hook (Perpignan), Jonathan Davies, Stephen Jones, Rhys Priestland, Scott Williams (Scarlets), Leigh Halfpenny (Blues), Lee Byrne (Clermont Auvergne), Aled Brew (Dragons), Shane Williams (Ospreys), George North (Scarlets).
