Wales head coach Warren Gatland has named a 33-man squad - but no captain - for their November tour of Australia.

Gatland will not pick a leader for his side until he names his starting line-up for their opening November clash against the Wallabies on November 6.

"We will assess form and pick our team and then name the captain, it has to be in that order, but there is little to suggest to us that it will not be Ryan again, he needs a little more game time, but we are more than happy with what he offers in a leadership capacity," said Gatland ahead of the tour which will also see the Welsh take on South Africa, Fiji and New Zealand.

Gatland has been boosted by the return of several experienced players for next month's testing assignments, which he has described as "a tipping point" for his side ahead of next season's World Cup.

Ospreys trio Shane Williams, James Hook and Richard Hibbard and Cardiff Blues quartet Gethin Jenkins, Tom Shanklin, Sam Warburton and Martyn Williams are all in the squad having missed the tour to New Zealand.

There are two new caps in the squad in the form of Cardiff Blues prop Scott Andrews and 18-year-old Scarlets wing George North, who has made an impressive start to he new Magners League season.

"Scott Andrews has been doing well technically, physically he is in good shape," Gatland added.

"George North is only young but really set the start of the season on fire with his form.

"(North) is a big physical player, last time I saw a pair of thighs like that was on some of the Samoans back in New Zealand.

"He's carrying an injury at the moment but hopefully he'll be back in the next few weeks and will benefit from the experience of being around the national squad."

FORWARDS

G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Paul James (Ospreys), A Rhys Jones (Ospreys), J Yapp (Cardiff Blues), S Andrews (Cardiff Blues), M Rees (Scarlets), H Bennett (Ospreys), R Hibbard (Ospreys), A Wyn Jones (Ospreys), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), D Jones (Cardiff Blues), I Gough (Ospreys), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), J Thomas (Ospreys), R Jones (Ospreys), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues), M Williams (Cardiff Blues), R McCusker (Scarlets).

BACKS

M Phillips (Ospreys), R Rees (Cardiff Blues), T Knoyle (Scarlets), S Jones (Scarlets), D Biggar (Ospreys), J Hook (Ospreys), A Bishop (Ospreys), J Davies (Scarlets), T Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Ospreys), L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), W Harries (Newport Gwent Dragons), G North (Scarlets), L Byrne (Ospreys), T Prydie (Ospreys).

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