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After less than three years in the professional game, former Ruthin prop Eifion Roberts is in the Wales squad for tomorrow night's autumn international with Canada at the Millennium Stadium.

Sale Sharks star Roberts is on the bench for the clash with the Canadians, who will be smarting following their heavy 55-0 loss to Ireland on Saturday.

Ruthin scrum half Rhys Hughes said it would be the biggest club highlight "by a long way" should Roberts come on.

Jim Salisbury played for Wales at youth team level, but Hughes said: "The club has never had a full Welsh cap at international level.

"It's the biggest thing for North Wales rugby as well."

Manager of Gogledd Cymru- the North Wales regional team- Kenton Morgan believes other North Wales players will follow in Roberts' footsteps and gain international recognition.

Asked whether Roberts' call-up to international honours is a North Wales one-off, Morgan added: "That's not going to be the case.

"You could say he is the advanced guard and there are going to be more to follow."

He cited examples such as Cai Griffiths at the Ospreys and Haydn Pugh (Neath) as the possible next generation of North Wales stars and said the appointment of Marc Roberts as North Wales performance manager will have an impact.

"The wishes of the whole of Gogledd Cymru go with him," added Morgan.

"When we celebrated North Wales rugby at the end of last season, he was our star man.

"He has the courage and ability to step up.

Ruthin entertain Senghenydd on Saturday in the first round of the Swalec Plate- and the club is now wishing the tie was away from home!

Hughes added: "It's unbelievable, superb, fantastic for him, everyone, Ruthin, North Wales- the whole lot.

"Just for him to stand there for the national anthem is going to be out of this world.

"Anything after that is going to be a bonus."

Roberts failed to make it into Warren Gatland's squad for last Saturday's narrow defeat at the hands of world champions South Africa.

Skipper Ryan Jones, talented teenager Leigh Halfpenny and experienced centre Tom Shanklin are the three players retained from the 20-15 Springboks defeat.

Wales coach Warren Gatland has rung the changes for the Canadian challenge, including switching Jones across the back row from number six to number eight.

That means Saturday's Invesco Perpetual man-of-the-match Andy Powell moves to the bench after an impressive debut.

Gatland hinted at the changes when he was a guest on BBC's Scrum V show on Sunday, saying there would be upwards of 10 changes, including the front row.

"We have a short turn around before we face Canada and this was always going to be a game in which we tried to utilise our squad," said Gatland.

"We have a chance to put defeat against South Africa behind us and really try to build some momentum before the All Blacks and the Wallabies come to town so we know what we need to achieve against Canada."

There's also tremendous pride at Roberts' old school.

Ysgol Brynhyfryd's Noel Davies said: "As a school, we're particularly proud he's made it into the Welsh squad for the Canada game.

"I would love to be there cheering him on.

"I have been to see him at Sale and he had a storming performance against Munster.

"It's an achievement celebrated amongst the rugby community and in the school as well."

WALES: Stoddart; Halfpenny, Shanklin, Bishop, M Jones; Hook, M Roberts; Yapp, Hibbard, Rh Thomas, Gough, Charteris, D Jones, Sowden-Taylor, R Jones (captain)
Replacements: Rees, E Roberts, Wyn Jones, Powell, Peel, Biggar, J Roberts


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