Three former Pembrokeshire players will be in contention for a first international cap this autumn.

Josh Macleod and Sam Parry both received call ups into Wayne Pivac’s 37-man Welsh squad this morning, and just hours later Stephen Varney was selected for the full Italy squad.

Both countries have Six Nations games to finish off and will also be competing in the Autumn Nations Cup, which will replace the usual fixtures with touring teams at this time of year.

Macleod, 23, was in outstanding form for Scarlets when the Coronavirus pandemic curtailed matters, and since the resumption of professional rugby has picked up where he left off. The former Ysgol Bro Gwaun pupil and Crymych RFC player, who also played for Wales 20s, can play anywhere in the back row but has packed down at openside flanker for his region of late.

Hooker Parry, 27, is nearing 100 appearances for the Ospreys and has trained with the Welsh squad before, but like Macleod now stands on the verge of a first cap. The former Sir Thomas Picton pupil and Haverfordwest RFC product impressed in the region’s win in Edinburgh on the weekend and has been rewarded for his consistency these past few seasons.

It’s the news surrounding Varney however, another ex-Crymych player, which is perhaps most intriguing.

Ignored by Wales at age group level, the scrum half utilised his option to play for Italy Under 20s, for whom he qualified through his mother Valeria.

The 19-year-old is now at Gloucester and has been in outstanding form in the English Premiership, and now Italian coach Franco Smith has taken the chance to get him involved at senior level.

Meanwhile, prop Rob Evans is still recovering from a neck injury while James Davies has only recently returned from back problems, so the pair have not been names by Pivac.

Wales squad:

Forwards: Rhys Carre (Cardiff Blues), Wyn Jones (Scarlets), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Sam Parry (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Leon Brown (Dragons), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Will Rowlands (Wasps), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Seb Davies (Cardiff Blues), Cory Hill (Cardiff Blues), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), Ross Moriarty (Dragons), Taulupe Faletau (Bath), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Josh Macleod (Scarlets).

Backs: Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Kieran Hardy (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Northampton), Rhys Patchell (Scarlets), Callum Sheedy (Bristol), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Nick Tompkins (Dragons), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Johnny Williams (Scarlets), George North (Ospreys), Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues), Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester), Jonah Holmes (Dragons), Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets), Ioan Lloyd (Bristol), Liam Williams (Scarlets).