WALES coach Robin McBryde has hailed Cory Hill's leadership qualities and made the Newport Gwent Dragons lock a vice-captain for the summer tour.

The 25-year-old was a shock call-up to the international squad last autumn and went on to win caps against Australia, Japan and South Africa before featuring against Italy and England in the Six Nations.

He may not yet be an established name in the Test set-up but the Dragons man will be a key figure for this month's Tests against Tonga and Samoa in the absence of Lions lock Alun Wyn Jones, the injured Jake Ball and Luke Charteris and unavailable Bradley Davies.

McBryde has given the captaincy to 91-times capped centre Jamie Roberts for the summer tour and Hill will be his deputy, providing some guidance to a tight five also missing front rowers Ken Owens, Gethin Jenkins and Rob Evans.

"Cory is vice-captain for the tour and was excellent last week for the front five in particular," said McBryde.

"We are conscious that our average age up front is rather young and in that middle row we are lacking experience, but there is potential there as was showed [in the conditioning match against RGC 1404] in Colwyn Bay with Adam Beard and Rory Thornton.

"Cory doesn't force it, he is a well-respected member of the group and doesn't try to be anything that he's not.

"He runs the lineout pretty well and his contribution in the scrum isn't to be underestimated – the props give good feedback. He is a good footballer around the field with a great engine, one of the fittest second rows that we've got.

"I think he has appreciated the opportunity he was given [in the autumn] and has taken it with both hands."

Wales finished a week of training in the north by beating RGC 1404 88-19 in a conditioning match in Colwyn Bay last Friday.

They have returned to their Vale of Glamorgan base for two more days of preparations before they fly to New Zealand on Thursday for their Test against Tonga in Auckland a week on Friday.

There were no fresh injury worries from the encounter with RGC – Test starters Gareth Davies and Scott Williams, scrum-half and centre, were given the evening off after their title-winning exploits with the Scarlets – but full-back Phil Dollman and tighthead Samson Lee must prove they are fit to tour after suffering ankle injuries in the Aviva Premiership and Guinness PRO12 finals respectively.