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Wales call on Shingler and Dollman to replace injured duo

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Wales have called up Aaron Shingler and Phil Dollman for their summer tour to the Southern Hemisphere after injuries to Rhun Williams and James King.

Wales have called up Aaron Shingler and Phil Dollman for their summer tour to the Southern Hemisphere after injuries to Rhun Williams and James King.

Scarlets back row forward Aaron Shingler, 29, and uncapped Exeter Chiefs full-back Dollman, 32, have been drafted into Wales’ 32-strong squad for their upcoming Tests against Tonga and Samoa on June 16 and 23.

Shingler and Dollman will link up with their international colleagues after featuring for their trophy-chasing club sides in this weekend’s Guinness PRO12 and Aviva Premiership finals respectively.

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Wales’ head coach for this summer’s tour, Robin McBryde, is disappointed to have lost Williams and King but is more than satisfied with his replacements.

“You have to account for injuries in this game – especially at this stage of the season – so we’re not shocked when these things happen,” said McBryde.

“It’s a big blow for the players who are missing out but for someone like Rhun, who’s only 19-years-old, he’s got plenty of time to make his mark with Wales.

“The two players coming in have been in excellent form lately and we’re looking for them to bring that level of performance with them.

“They’ll be arriving with their tails up having made it to those finals, so it should be a boost for them, as well as us.”

Wales will also play a warm-up match against RGC 1404 at a sold-out Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, on Friday, June 2.

Although Wales will be without their 12 British & Irish Lions, McBryde insists that his experimental squad, which now contains 14 uncapped players, are not simply heading out to make up the numbers when they take on Tonga in New Zealand and Samoa in Apia.

The Wales chief said: “We’ve got a young squad but we’re not treating this as a development tour.

“We’re going to the southern hemisphere to win two Tests, so the selection has to reflect a balance between potential and performance, and the new players will have to reach the high levels of expectation we have of them.”