Caps on offer for Wales warm-up matches

Wales will be awarding caps to players in all four World Cup preparation matches in August.

On the day the 54-man Wales squad reconvened after their summer break to undergo a series of fitness tests, the Welsh Rugby Union’s chief executive David Moffett confirmed that all four games in August will be full-blown Test matches.

“The WRU Board of Directors have confirmed with the Irish, English, Romanian and Scottish Unions that all nations will be awarding caps for the matches they play in August,” said Moffett.

“Let’s face it, you can’t play a friendly against England at any sport. Wales has been playing international rugby against the Irish, English and Scottish sides since the 1880s and on each occasion caps have been awarded.

“The games we are playing against Ireland in Dublin, on 16 August, against England and Scotland at the Millennium Stadium, on 23 and 30 August, and against Romania at the Racecourse, Wrexham, on 27 August, are all against Rugby World Cup qualifiers and will be huge tests for Steve Hansen’s side.”