Five key players to Wales’ Rugby World Cup chances

Wales, 14/1 with Coral to win the Rugby World Cup, need all their players at the top of their game to be sure of coming through a tough Pool A with Australia and Six Nations rivals England to contend with.

But out of a 47-man strong training squad, just who will Warren Gatland chose as he whittles the roster down to 31 to take forward to the first warm-up match against Ireland? We pick five key players to Welsh hopes.

Nailed on to make the cut, Northampton Saints winger North became the youngest-ever try-scorer at the 2011 edition of the Rugby World Cup. At 6ft 4in, he is surprisingly skilful, and able to sidestep opponents without breaking stride.

North’s natural ability is sure to prove useful in the upcoming World Cup. A man to keep a close eye on, he has been compared to Usain Bolt after beating Australia in a 60m run to the try-line during the 2013 British and Irish Lions Tour.

A man who takes control of every game, leads the other players and gives everything. Ospreys lock Jones has been described as a workhorse of rugby with a great deal of experience under his belt. Recently racking up a decade of service to the Swansea side, he became captain in 2010.

Skippering the British and Irish Lions during their last Tour and earning 89 caps for Wales so far, Jones has three Six Nations triumphs, including two Grand Slams. With Ospreys, he has tasted four Celtic League titles and the LV Cup.