Wales rugby: Cory Hill selection ‘not the right message’

Ex-Wales lock Ian Gough has criticised Cory Hill’s surprise international recall as “demoralising” for home-based players.

Hill, 32, has not played for Wales in three years having joined Japanese fourth division side Secom Rugguts.

But he has benefited from a second-row crisis in Wales, caused by injury, suspension and unavailability, to be included in Warren Gatland’s summer squad to face South Africa and Australia.

Adam Beard, Rhys Davies and Teddy Williams are all injured, Seb Davies is serving a three-game ban while Will Rowlands is being rested.

Exeter pair Dafydd Jenkins and Christ Tshiunza are unavailable for the Springboks Test, being played outside the official international window.

But Gough, who won 64 caps between 1998 and 2009, called Warren Gatland’s decision to recall Hill a “wrong message” to other players.