Six Nations team guide: Warren Gatland's Wales 

A callow-looking Welsh side will have to work hard to make an impact in this year's tournament.

KICKING ON:? Sam Costelow of Wales will be given plenty of responsibility.  Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images)

Captain: Dafydd Jenkins (2024) P0 

Most appearances: 64 – Alun Wyn Jones (2007-23); current: 49 – George North 

Most points: 467 – Stephen Jones (2000-11; current 115 – George North (2011-current) 

Most tries: 23 George North (2011-current) 

Keep An Eye On…Sam Costelow, pictured. Is set to be given the coveted No 10 jersey to take over from Dan Biggar. Has grown over his two seasons at Scarlets and now needs to step up and run things for Wales.

New Faces: There are five uncapped players in the squad and a further 11 players with less than 10 caps. James Botham is fit again and joins the back row options, while Bath tight head prop Archie Griffin, who weighs in at 130kgs, would be a surprise package. Cardiff’s young back row duo of Alex Mann and Mackenzie Martin look set to be thrown in at the deep end.

MIA: World Cup co-captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake are out with injuries, while Louis Rees-Zammit has winged his way to the USA to try his luck at American Football. Add in the recent retirements of Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Leigh Halfpenny and there is a very young feel to the group. Tomas Francis is staying in France, Laim Williams is in Japan and Gareth Anscombe is crocked, along with Christ Tshiunza.

Forwards (19): C Domachowski (Cardiff), K Mathias (Scarlets), G Thomas (Ospreys), E Dee (Dragons), R Elias (Scarlets), E Lloyd (Cardiff), K Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby), L Brown (Dragons), A Griffin (Bath), A Beard (Ospreys), D Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), W Rowlands (Racing 92), T Williams (Cardiff), T Basham (Dragons), J Botham (Cardiff), A Mann (Cardiff), M Martin (Cardiff), T Reffell (Leicester Tigers), A Wainwright (Dragons) 

Backs (15): G Davies (Scarlets), K Hardy (Scarlets), T Williams (Cardiff), S Costelow (Scarlets), C Evans (Dragons), I Lloyd (Scarlets), M Grady (Cardiff), G North (Ospreys), J Roberts (Scarlets), N Tompkins (Saracens), O Watkin (Ospreys), J Adams (Cardiff), R Dyer (Dragons), T Rogers (Scarlets), C Winnett (Cardiff).

Donal Lenihan's verdict: In his long and chequered career with Wales, it’s arguably the weakest squad Warren Gatland has ever presided over for the Six Nations. Once he was able to set aside poor domestic and European form from the regions when it came to getting the very best out of the national team.

It helped that he always had a strong cohort of quality players and leaders in Alun Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Dan Bigger, Leigh Halfpenny and Jonathan Davies to call upon. That level of class is no longer available and Wales will suffer accordingly.

It doesn’t help that joint captains at the World Cup, Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake, are both out injured meaning that Gatland has had to call on 21 year old second row Dafydd Jenkins to steer the ship. At least the schedule sees them host three games in Cardiff but, with Ireland and England on the road, the odds are stacked against them. In the circumstances, two wins and a 5th place finish looks about as good as it might get.