COMBATATIVE new boy Ross Moriarty has been tipped to put the heat on Wales' settled back row by forwards coach Robin McBryde.

The 21-year-old has forced his way into Warren Gatland's 47-strong World Cup training squad with a number of strong performances for Gloucester at the end of the season.

Moriarty is the son of dual-code Wales international Paul and his uncle Richard captained Wales at the 1987 World Cup but was born in England and won two Junior World Championships with a red rose on his chest.

However, the Swansea-raised back row forward has opted to battle for the jerseys so often worn by Taulupe Faletau, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric rather than going up against Billy Vunipola, James Haskell, Chris Robshaw and Tom Wood.

A cynic would suggest that Gatland has just selected Moriarty – along with tighthead Tomas Francis and lock Dom Day – to tie him to Wales but McBryde believes the youngster has the tenacity to force his way into the World Cup squad proper.

"He likes to get the ball in his hand and go forward," said McBryde. "He can play at six and eight, he is useful in the line-out, he is comfortable taking the ball above his head at kick-offs. He has a lot of physicality.

"We have a settled back-row, we have rotated Taulupe, Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric and Sam Warburton, and with Ross and James King we have guys pushing who we are trying to fit in.

"We want to give them experience, along with Dan Baker. It is an exciting mix and the qualities Ross has got in terms of ball carrying and physicality means he is going to push as a genuine contender for the final squad."

McBryde says that tighthead Samson Lee is making good progress in his return from rupturing his Achilles against Ireland in the Six Nations while wing George North has declared himself "fit and well" for the World Cup.

The Wales management say that the Northampton ace is yet to pass protocols for a return to contact training but the 23-year-old said: "I'm feeling fit and well now, and looking forward to what's ahead.

"It's a lot better, it took a bit longer than I was hoping initially but at the end of the day you've only got one head and to rush it would be silly, you've got to look after it."

Wales meet up for conditioning on June 15 and go for the first of three intensive training camps in Switzerland from July 1 to 15.

They head to Doha for nine days on July 20 and then return to Wales for the first warm-up Test against Ireland at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, August 8.

The final conditioning camp is in Polan in mid-August before they take on the Irish in Dublin on Saturday, August 29.

Gatland and his coaches must then name their 31 for the World Cup – deciding on an 18/13 or 17/14 split of forwards and backs – before the final tune-up against Italy in Cardiff on Saturday, September 5.

They open their tournament against Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday, September 20 before taking on England, Fiji and then Australia.

Wales training squad

Forwards (25): Rob Evans (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Paul James (Bath Rugby), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), Richard Hibbard (Gloucester Rugby), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Racing Metro), Dominic Day (Bath Rugby), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Rory Thornton (Ospreys), Dan Baker (Ospreys), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (captain, Cardiff Blues).

Backs (22): Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), James Hook (Gloucester Rugby), Matthew Morgan (Bristol Rugby), Rhys Patchell (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Jack Dixon (Newport Gwent Dragons), Tyler Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon), Tom James (Exeter Chiefs), George North (Northampton Saints), Eli Walker (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Scarlets).