Ruddock on Wednesday announced 30 players, and left an additional front-row vacancy, with Neath-Swansea Ospreys prop Duncan Jones currently recovering from a broken thumb and Llanelli Scarlets Iestyn Thomas nursing a neck problem.

Despite the Blues poor run of European Cup and Celtic League results, Yapp has forced his way into the Wales reckoning, while there is also a recall for 21-times capped Newport Gwent Dragons lock Ian Gough.

We have rewarded John Yapp and Ian Gough for impressing during the Heineken Cup competition, said Ruddock.

Both of them have played well, and we want to send a message out that consistently playing well gets you in the squad.

John is a young man with a big future. Despite his youth, he has been playing in the Blues team for two years, so has racked up some mileage on his playing clock.

He has international size, he is a big physical lad and a good ball-carrier with a high tackle-count. He does the basics well, but he has really caught the eye with his engine and impressive work-rate.

Yapp, 21, will be joined in the squad by established names such as Colin Charvis, Robin McBryde, Gareth Llewellyn and Stephen Jones as Wales prepare for their RBS 6 Nations challenge.

But Ruddock has predictably retained the players who served him well during the autumn Test programme, when Wales suffered agonising defeats against South Africa and New Zealand.

We believe this is an exciting squad representing traditional values of Welsh rugby, and based on the performances in the November internationals, Ruddock added.

We have strength and experience up-front, and well-recognised talent, pace and skill behind.

The management team just want to get hold of the players and get out on the training pitch at the moment. They are all due in on Sunday, and thats when the hard work starts.

Wales open their RBS 6 Nations campaign against world champions England at the Millennium Stadium on February 5.

Wales squad for the RBS 6 Nations Championship.
Backs: G Thomas (Toulouse, capt), K Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), R Williams (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), H Luscombe (Newport Gwent Dragons), T Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), S Parker (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), G Henson (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), C Sweeney (Newport Gwent Dragons), Stephen Jones (Clermont Auvergne), D Peel (Llanelli Scarlets), G Cooper (Newport Gwent Dragons), M Phillips (Llanelli Scarlets).
Forwards: A Jones (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), A N Other, J Yapp (Cardiff Blues), M Davies (Gloucester), R McBryde (Llanelli Scarlets), Steve Jones (Newport Gwent Dragons), B Cockbain (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), G Llewellyn (Narbonne), R Sidoli (Cardiff Blues), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), I Gough (Newport Gwent Dragons), D Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), J Thomas (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), C Charvis (Newcastle), M Williams (Cardiff Blues), M Owen (Newport Gwent Dragons), R Jones (Neath-Swansea Ospreys).