TWO Newport Gwent Dragons were today named by Wales coach Warren Gatland in a 24-man training squad as he prepares his Grand Slam winning team for a two-Test tour against world champions South Africa.

Prop Rhys Thomas and scrum half Andy Williams are in a party leaving for Ireland next Monday for a training camp ahead of Wales' clashes with the World Cup winners in June.

The Dragons duo are named with the possibility of a late withdrawal in mind as coach Gatland wants them to remain with their region if Heineken Cup qualification continues to be at stake at the end of the season.

The Gwent region may have to play a play-off against an Italian team to secure a Heineken Cup place.

Williams, uncapped London Irish scrum half Warren Fury and Scarlets full back Morgan Stoddart are the only new faces outside of the 29-man Grand Slam squad.

Injury has forced Gavin Henson (ankle), Dwayne Peel (shoulder), Mark Jones (groin), Deiniol Jones (shoulder), Mike Phillips (knee) and Robin Sowden-Taylor (shoulder) to miss the training camp - although neither Henson nor Peel have yet been ruled out of the summer tour altogether.

Lee Byrne and Sonny Parker will have knee injuries assessed later in the week to ensure they can travel to Ireland for the fitness work.

The release by Gloucester of Gareth Cooper and Gareth Delve was not requested because of their play-off aspirations in the Guinness Premiership.

"We have been given the opportunity to go on a pre-tour training camp thanks largely to the support of the coaches and management at each of the four regions in Wales," said Gatland.

"This is not something that we will be able to do every year, because I would like to see our regions in contention for end of season honours.

But, with no European competition left at the end of a tough season and with Leinster runaway leaders of the Magners League, we have been able to negotiate a position which will hopefully be of benefit to everyone.

"The regions have allowed us to take the players away for an intensive period of training in advance of our tour to South Africa and I would like to personally express my gratitude for their co-operation."

Gatland will take his side to a training base in Wexford which specialises in cryotherapy, a therapy which aids the body's recovery from exercise and therefore, basically, allows for more training to be undertaken in a short space of time than would normally be possible.

"Cryotherapy is something that has been around in sport for some time and something I've used before at specific times as an aid to training at various camps in Poland whilst I was in charge of Ireland and London Wasps," added Gatland.

"The facilities at the camp in Wexford will be top notch, but as much as anything else this is a chance for us to gather as a group for the first time since the Six Nations, to train together and to prepare ourselves for a tough tour against the Springboks.

"Andy Williams and Morgan Stoddart both have a chance to show the coaches what they have to offer and to book themselves a seat on the plane to South Africa.

"Andy and Warren (Fury) in particular are in with a good shout with two injuries in their position to Mike Phillips and Dwayne Peel being a worry for us.

"This is our core group now, but there may also be one or two other names we add to the tour party injuries permitting and with a couple of players down in England not considered at the moment.

"There is also plenty more rugby to be played back in Wales before the full compliment of probably 26 players or so is announced on May 14."

Wales face the Springboks at Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein on Saturday, June 7 and then travel to Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, on Saturday, June 14

BACKS: Morgan Stoddart (Llanelli Scarlets), Lee Byrne (Ospreys), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues), Shane Williams (Ospreys), Tom James (Cardiff Blues), Sonny Parker (Ospreys), Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), Stephen Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), James Hook (Ospreys), Andy Williams (Newport Gwent Dragons), Warren Fury (London Irish)

FORWARDS: Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Alix Popham (Llanelli Scarlets), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Ian Gough (Ospreys), Duncan Jones (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Thomas (Newport Gwent Dragons), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Matthew Rees (Llanelli Scarlets), Huw Bennett (Ospreys)