Wales cut Rhys Carre from Rugby World Cup squad as blunt statement released

Adam Kyriacou
Rhys Carre

Wales have released prop Rhys Carre from their Rugby World Cup squad after announcing he “failed to meet individual performance targets”.

The 25-year-old was named in Warren Gatland’s 54-man squad in May but has been axed from the extended group, the Welsh Rugby Union confirmed.

Carre, who has 20 caps to his name, now joins the retired Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Rhys Webb in dropping out of Wales‘ original selection.

Carre failed to meet performance targets

“Rhys Carre has been released from the Wales senior men’s preliminary training squad for Rugby World Cup 2023,” read a WRU statement on Thursday.

“Following ongoing discussions between the player and the Wales coaching team, Carre has failed to meet individual performance targets set at the end of the 2023 Guinness Six Nations.”

Carre, a former Saracens front-row who plays his rugby for Cardiff in the United Rugby Championship, was one of 10 props named in Wales’ squad.

The loosehead made an impressive start to his international rugby career and featured in the Welsh squad at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Interviews start for new independent chair

In other news from Wales, the Welsh Rugby Union is set to start their interviews for a new independent chair after finalising a shortlist of candidates.

Two further independent non-executive roles and the vacant chief executive post must also be filled after a turbulent period in the union’s history.

The changes follow in the wake of allegations of sexism and misogyny within Welsh rugby’s governing body and the resignation of Steve Phillips as chief executive in January.

“The new chair is the keystone appointment, everything will follow from this moment, but the general calibre of applicant in all areas has been outstanding,” WRU people director Lydia Stirling told BBC Wales.

“We have a fine shortlist for the chair position, we are in advanced stages in the recruitment process for CEO to the extent we will be able to pass over an impressive long list of names to our new chair on appointment and, in total, more than 300 high-calibre candidates are on our radar for our vacant positions.”

READ MORE: Has Wales legend Alun Wyn Jones played his final game?

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