Wales bring back 'A' team after 14 years

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) on Tuesday announced the resurrection of Wales A team for the upcoming season.

It was in 2002, the second string Wales side was scrapped as a cost-cutting measure, but the board now wants to bridge the gap between the domestic and international teams after the poor performance in the ongoing series against New Zealand.

Wales coach Warren Gatland expressed his disappointment over the fringe players in the Wales squad after the 40-7 defeat to Super Rugby side Chiefs at FMG Stadium Waikato and currently the Under-20 team is the second tier team below the national side.

WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips believes the Wales A team will give the players the right kind of exposure before drafted into the senior squad.

Phillips also revealed that the board is currently targeting the Six Nations tournament in 2017 for the relaunch of the A team.

"We will reconstitute the Wales A team for next season.

"We believe getting these fixtures up and running can help both ourselves and the (Welsh) regions by exposing the next group of players to a different, higher level of competition.

"If we can identify at Under-20 level and upwards those players who can handle the intensity, and help to improve those who can't just yet, we can actually move forward quite rapidly.

"They will be Six Nations fixtures to start with, but we have an open mind over other opponents.

"We will pick teams where we are giving players an experience, where it is from a travel or intensity perspective.

"A big part of the job is making sure that the Wales A team and Under-20s are about development and then winning, but in that order. We also have to give the confidence and support to the coaches, so they realise we are okay with that."

Wales are yet to win a game in the ongoing tour of New Zealand after playing two Tests against the All Blacks and a tour game against the Chiefs.