Dwayne Peel was dramatically dropped from Wales's squad for the Six Nations Championship announced here Monday.
British and Irish Lions scrum-half Peel, who has won 64 Wales caps, was a surprise omission from the reigning Six Nations champions' 28-man squad unveileved by Warren Gatland.
Instead Wales's Kiwi coach has opted for Gareth Cooper and Mike Phillips, who missed the whole of their November home series through injury, at scrum-half.
Meanwhile Ospreys full-back Lee Byrne, on form a front-runner for the No 15 jersey on the Lions' tour of South Africa later this year, was picked by Gatland, despite suffering an ankle injury which saw him taken off against European Cup opponents Perpignan on Saturday.
His fit-again fellow 2008 grand slam winners Gavin Henson and Jonathan Thomas are also both included.
The only uncapped player in the Wales squad is 22-year-old Cardiff lock Bradley Davies, who takes the place of the injured Ian Evans.
Peel won three Lions Test caps in New Zealand in 2005 but his chances of adding to that tally in South Africa have now suffered a major setback.
Gatland said the fact Peel, was sharing scrum-half duties at his English Premiership club side Sale with Richard Wigglesworth had counted against the 27-year-old.
"We had a very hard decision to make at scrum-half, but were greatly impressed by the performances of Mike Phillips last year during the Six Nations and felt Gareth Cooper has done well, both on tour in the summer and in the autumn series," said Gatland.
"The result is really difficult, it probably boiled down to the fact that Mike Phillips has played more rugby than Dwayne Peel since the autumn, but it doesn't mean that the door is always going to be shut for him or anyone."
Gatland, whose team were the only European side to defeat a major northern hemisphere nation in November when they defeated Australia last time out, has also dropped Ospreys hooker Richard Hibbard as well as Morgan Stoddart, Dan Biggar, Martin Roberts and Eifion Roberts from his squad
Wales, currently ranked fifth in the world, begin their title defence against Scotland at Murrayfield on February 8 as they seek to win back-to-back championships for the first time since 1979 when the tournament was still restricted to the Five Nations.
Bookmakers have installed Gatland's side as the team the others have to beat in this tournament and the former Ireland and Wasps coach said: "We will accept the challenge of being favourites - it's a new experience for a lot of coaches, as well as players.
"We have to make sure we are mentally right for Scotland.
"We have different pressures on us, perhaps a fear of failure, and the expectation is on us to go out there and perform.
"But it will be very much like last year - win the first game and create momentum for success, lose that first game and we come home to England and away to France and it could be a completely different story."
Wales squad:
Backs:
Lee Byrne (Ospreys), Mark Jones (Scarlets), Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), Shane Williams (Ospreys), Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues), Andrew Bishop (Ospreys), Gavin Henson (Ospreys), James Hook (Ospreys), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Gareth Cooper (Gloucester/ENG), Mike Phillips (Ospreys)
Forwards:
Robin Sowden-Taylor (Cardiff Blues), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues)), Daffyd Jones (Scarlets), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Ryan Jones (Ospreys, capt), Bradley Davies (Cardiff Blues), Luke Charteris (Newport-Gwent Dragons), Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Ian Gough (Ospreys), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Rhys Thomas (Newport-Gwent Dragons), Adam Jones (Osprets), John Yapp (Cardiff Blues), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues)
Copyright 2009 AFP Global Edition
