BRADLEY Davies has candidly admitted that he didn’t deserve to be selected in Wales’ original World Cup squad.

The Ospreys lock has been the beneficiary of Cory Hill’s injury anguish and last week flew to Japan to replace the Dragons captain.

Head coach Warren Gatland was prepared to take a gamble on Hill despite the forward not having played any rugby since February because of an ankle injury and leg fracture.

However, his recovery wasn’t swift enough and led to a late call-up for Davies, who is likely to add to his 65 caps against Uruguay as Wales bid to secure Pool D top spot.

"It was disappointing not to get picked at the start, but I think the way the summer went for me, I didn't get a chance to put my best foot forward," said the 32-year-old.

"I didn't train as much as the other boys, so I deserved not to be picked, to be honest with you.

"We've got some really good second rows. But I know that second row is a difficult position to play and something always happens, someone goes down. My mindset was to go back, keep fit and see how it goes."

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Davies started in the third of Wales’ World Cup warm-ups against Ireland but his performance in Cardiff failed to give Gatland a headaches.

"The Ireland game didn't go the way I wanted it to but that was probably because it was my first game in a while," said Davies.

"I hadn't played a lot of rugby. People overlook the importance of actual rugby training and getting your minutes in on the field.

"I didn't quite manage to achieve that, whether it's me getting old or whatever. In the past, I could just rock up and play but I know now I need that bank of training.

"To get that was difficult because of my body. But once I'm there, I'm in perfect nick.

"I'm here now and I've got the chance. There's a bit of misfortune on Cory's part but I'm here.”

“Cory’s a good guy and he'll come back from this,” he continued. “It's obviously disappointing but I guess he'll have another few World Cups to worry about."

Davies was training ahead of the Ospreys' Guinness PRO14 opener against Ulster when he got the call.

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"I was preparing for a game and then I had to jump on a plane and leave my family behind," he said.

"I'd just finished in the gym and I had a missed call from Gats. I guessed then, unless I'd done something really bad!

"I called him back and he said 'Can you jump on a plane tomorrow?' I went home, kissed my wife and kids goodbye and was straight in the car."

With Hill injured and Adam Beard recovering from an appendix operation, Wales had been down to their last two specialist locks for the games against Georgia and Australia.

Alun Wyn Jones and Jake Ball were backed up by blindside Aaron Shingler but now Davies and Beard will battle for places in the matchday 23s against Fiji and Uruguay.

"All the other boys will say I'm lying, but I think it (second-row) is one of the toughest positions on the field,” said Davies.

"It's not very glamorous, and you have to put your head where it hurts a lot of the time. A lot of us are big heavy men as well."

Wales face Fiji a week on Wednesday and then finish against Uruguay four days later.