Wales boss Warren Gatland has hailed Ken Owens’ “outstanding rugby intellect” after naming him captain for the Guinness Six Nations Championship.<br /><br />Scarlets hooker Owens, who has won 86 caps, will lead his country for the first time against Ireland in Cardiff on February 4.<br /><br />And while Gatland admitted that he considered appointing a younger captain, 36-year-old Owens has won his vote ahead of alternatives such as Justin Tipuric, Dan Biggar, Alun Wyn Jones and potentially Jac Morgan.<br /><br />“Looking at the squad, I think if we are picking a team, if you look at the way he (Owens) played in the autumn and how he came back from injury, he is probably number one in that position,” Gatland said.<br /><br />“I did contemplate whether we picked a young captain and looked at that for the future.<br /><br />“Talking to the other coaches, there are probably a few contenders post the World Cup, where there will be significant change to the squad. Ken has been picked to do that job, and he will do a great job.<br /><br />“I have a huge amount of respect for Ken as a person and I’m sure he’ll be popular with the players.<br /><br />“He wears his heart on his sleeve, has an outstanding rugby intellect and he relates well with people.”<br /><br />There are a number of senior players among a 37-man Wales squad in the twilight years of their careers.<br /><br />Asked if he had considered getting rid of some of the old guard, Gatland added: “Yeah, I did.<br /><br />“The thought process is that it was something that needed to be done earlier. I think we are running out of time.<br /><br />“Some of that experience needs to be in that squad to help with the youngsters who haven’t got a lot of caps to their name.”<br /><br />Gatland has named four uncapped players in his squad – Ospreys centre Keiran Williams, who he said reminded him of “a younger Scott Gibbs”, Cardiff centre Mason Grady, Ospreys lock Rhys Davies and Cardiff second-row forward Teddy Williams.<br /><br />Selection absentees include Ross Moriarty, Nicky Smith and Ryan Elias, while injuries have sidelined the likes of fly-half Gareth Anscombe and lock Will Rowlands, but Gloucester wing Louis Rees-Zammit, who is currently out of action due to an ankle problem, has been picked.<br /><br />Gatland has returned for a second stint as Wales head coach. When his first spell began in 2008, Wales won the Six Nations title and a Grand Slam.<br /><br />But they will begin this season’s tournament after a miserable 2022 under Gatland’s predecessor Wayne Pivac that produced just three wins and home defeats against the likes of Italy and Georgia.
