Fury call-up as Wales run out of scrum halves

Warren Fury, London Irish's third scrum half behind Paul Hodgson and Peter Richards, is the only uncapped member of a 24-man Welsh squad named yesterday for a pretour training camp next week at a cryotherapy centre in Ireland.

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The 22-year-old from Swansea makes the jump despite a Premiership career hitherto confined to five starts — two for Wasps, three for Irish.

Faced by the prospect of confronting the World Cup holders without his two leading scrum halves — Mike Phillips and Sale-bound Dwayne Peel, who are both injured — head coach Warren Gatland has turned to Newport's Andy Williams and Fury.

The latter was one of Gatland's last signings for Wasps before leaving the club after their English-European double three years ago.

The Irish get-together will be the only preparation before Gatland finalises his squad for the Springbok Tests in Bloemfontein and Pretoria.

'Andy and Warren, in particular, are in with a very good shout to book themselves a seat on the plane because of the injuries in their position,' said Gatland.

Williams, who joined Newport from Bath, has played in five Tests — all as a substitute.

Fury, who is also eligible for England through the residential qualification, has scarcely been seen in Premiership action since Gatland signed him as an 18-year-old. After just two starts in three seasons at Wasps, he has made three more this season since transferring to London Irish last summer.

Wales, who have put coaches Robin McBryde and Neil Jenkins under contract until the end of 2011, have been forced to rule out two more injured Grand Slam regulars from the Irish trip — Gavin Henson and Mark Jones.

Two more, Lee Byrne and Sonny Parker, have been chosen subject to fitness tests, hence the recall of Llanelli's Morgan Stoddart as full back cover.

Leicester's protracted bid to sign Argentinian full back Juan Martin Hernandez from Stade Francais has collapsed after they refused to release him.