Taulupe Faletau, Liam Williams and Josh Adams return to bolster Wales as Warren Gatland names Six Nations squad

Wales have been bolstered by the return of Taulupe Faletau, Liam Williams and Josh Adams as Warren Gatland named his squad for the 2025 Six Nations.

The experienced trio, who boast 255 international caps between them, are back in the Wales squad after missing the Autumn Nations Series through injury.

Gatland has also welcomed back Elliot Dee, Dafydd Jenkins and Joe Roberts after they were absent in the autumn, while Jac Morgan has been named captain for the Six Nations campaign.

Two uncapped players, Ospreys fly-half Dan Edwards and Scarlets wing Ellis Mee, were selected by Gatland, while another eight are in line to make their first Six Nations appearance.

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Sam Costelow was ruled out of the Six Nations in the hours before Gatland's squad announcement, as the Scarlets fly-half joined Dewi Lake on the list of notable Wales injury absentees.

Cameron Winnett, Gareth Anscombe, Rio Dyer, Max Llewellyn and Taine Plumtree all missed out despite being regulars in recent Wales squads.

Gatland will once again lead Wales into the tournament but the contrast between this and previous campaigns, which delivered three Grand Slams and four Six Nations titles, could not be starker.

Gatland received a vote of confidence after a dismal Autumn Nations campaign in which defeats to Fiji, Australia and South Africa extended Wales' losing run to a record 12 matches as they ended a calendar year winless for the first time since 1937.

The pressure is on Gatland from the outset, with an away trip to France kicking off the tournament as Wales search for their first victory since beating Georgia at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Gatland: Huge potential in Wales squad

After naming a squad with an average age of 26, Gatland said: "We've selected a squad that we feel has a good blend of exciting young talent and experience. This group of players has a huge amount of potential and we will be working incredibly hard together this campaign.

"The Six Nations is a special competition full of passion and some great rivalries and we have a good challenge to start the championship away in France. I'm excited for our campaign to kick off next week and we're looking to hit the ground running when the squad convenes.

"Every single training session is incredibly important in terms of our preparation for that first game and I'll be looking to see a lot of hard work and everyone working together.

"As ever there are going to be some very disappointed players who have missed out on selection. The message to them is keep working hard because you never know what may happen."

Costelow out of Six Nations after surgery

Wales will be without fly-half Sam Costelow for the Six Nations after he was ruled out by injury.

The Scarlets fly-half fractured his collarbone playing in his club's Challenge Cup defeat against Gloucester and requires surgery that will keep him out of action for at least 12 weeks.

The 24-year-old was the starting fly-half when Wales were beaten 45-12 by world champions South Africa in their final game of 2024.

Six Nations 2025 fixtures: Wales

• January 31: France (a)
• February 8: Italy (a)
• February 22: Ireland (h)
• March 8: Scotland (a)
• March 15: England (h)

Wales' 34-player Six Nations squad

Forwards: K Assiratti (Cardiff), J Botham (Cardiff), E Dee (Dragons), T Faletau (Cardiff), D Jenkins (Exeter), W John (Sale Sharks), E Lloyd (Cardiff), K Mathias (Scarlets), J Morgan (Ospreys, capt), S Parry (Ospreys), T Reffell (Leicester), W Rowlands (Racing 92), N Smith (Leicester), G Thomas (Ospreys), F Thomas (Gloucester), H Thomas (Scarlets), C Tshiunza (Exeter), A Wainwright (Dragons), T Williams (Cardiff).

Backs: J Adams (Cardiff), E Bevan (Cardiff), D Edwards (Ospreys), J Hathaway (Gloucester), E James (Scarlets), E Mee (Scarlets), B Murray (Scarlets), J Roberts (Scarlets), T Rogers (Scarlets), B Thomas (Cardiff), N Tompkins (Saracens), O Watkin (Ospreys), L Williams (Saracens), R Williams (Dragons), T Williams (Gloucester).

British & Irish Lions tour of Australia on Sky Sports

Sky Sports will exclusively show the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Tests against the Wallabies and six warm-up matches to be shown exclusively live.

Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app - giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Stream the EFL, Test cricket and more top sport with NOW.