Wayne Pivac: New Wales head coach picks McNicholl and Halaholo in first squad

Wales coach Wayne Pivac has named New Zealand-born backs Johnny McNicholl and Willis Halaholo in his first squad.

The pair qualified on residency to play for Wales in November and are among five uncapped players alongside Taine Basham, Shane Lewis-Hughes and Ashton Hewitt.

Injured captain Alun Wyn Jones is omitted for the uncapped match against Barbarians in Cardiff on 30 November.

The touring team will be coached by Pivac’s predecessor Warren Gatland.

The 35-man Wales squad includes 22 players who featured at the World Cup in Japan.

However, England-based players Dan Biggar and Rhys Carre are not available because the game falls outside the designated Test window.

Pivac is hoping McNicholl and Haloholo, both 29, will impress having worked the pair both in the past.

“I personally know a lot about Johnny and I had Willis in the Auckland age groups when I was coaching there, so I know his background,” said Pivac.

“They’re both exciting attacking players. It’s an opportunity for us to get Willis in for a week and have a look at him.

“We spoke to him earlier in the season about parts of his game we like and parts we think he can work on.

“It will be an interesting week to see how some players step up into a new environment and he’s one of those players.”

Pivac says he has no qualms about picking players who have just become eligible if he feels they deserve their opportunity after revealing he had spoken to Ospreys centre Scott Williams about his omission.

“I look at it in terms of the rules and what we can and can’t do,” said Pivac.

“You just have to look at a few players from different nationalities playing in other teams.

“The rules allow that. I’ve got a rule of thumb if we select someone under the residential rules that they have to be playing that much better than the local.”

Back-row duo Basham and Lewis-Hughes were surprise inclusions.

“They’re exciting young talents and well known to the age grade coaches,” said Pivac.

“They’ve had a successful time in the development programme we have here and both are playing senior rugby for their regions and have caught the eye.”