Mark Taylor stands in as skipper with Gareth Thomas on Lions duty

Wales coach Mike Ruddock has picked four of Wales' Under-21 Grand Slam winners, plus Saracens tight-head prop Ben Broster who turns 23 on Saturday.

The remaining two uncapped players are Ospreys flanker Richie Pugh and Scarlets centre Tal Selley.

Former skipper Colin Charvis has been included, but is overlooked for the captain's armband in favour of Taylor.

Taylor, 32, will leave the Scarlets for Sale Sharks this summer after being deemed surplus to requirements at Stradey Park.

Cardiff Blues' 6ft 3in wing Chris Czekaj and Neath-Swansea Ospreys fly-half Matthew Jones both helped Wales Under-21 clinch the Six Nations Grand Slam this season.

The pair have also impressed in the Celtic League and will be joined in North America by Under-21 colleagues Matthew Rees and Rhys Thomas, who are both hookers.

There is no place for English-born prop Chris Horsman, after the Worcester player was unable to find the paperwork that proves he has lived on Welsh soil in Porthcawl since June 2002.

However, Horsman will receive international clearance to play for Wales on 5 September.

A number of new players will learn a huge amount from the tour Wales coach Mike Ruddock

"I have chosen not to reinstall Colin Charvis as captain so that he can concentrate on playing and rediscovering his autumn form after missing the entire Six Nations campaign through injury," said Ruddock.

"Mark Taylor is a very senior player in our squad and has the total respect of both the players and the management.

"He is the ideal guy to help bring on some of the young players on this tour."

The Welsh youngsters get their opportunity with 10 senior Wales players having being called up for the Lions tour to New Zealand.

Despite those absences, there is still no room for old heads Darren Morris and Dafydd James, which could signal the end of their international careers.

Prop Morris came on as a replacement in Leicester's Heineken Cup semi-final defeat to Toulouse, but has been left out in the cold by Ruddock.

James also still has aspirations to play for Wales, but knows he now faces an uphill struggle even if he does sign for a Welsh region as expected following Harlequins' relegation from the Zurich Premiership.

James hoping for Welsh offers

"The rationale for this tour is three-fold; we want to be competitive and we have selected players who are capable of gaining two victories in the style we have got accustomed to," Ruddock added.

"We must have continuity and a strong element of cohesion within the team and that is why we are taking all the current squad players available to us in order that those players continue to develop as international rugby players.

"We are also looking at the future and building towards 2007 [World Cup] with the introduction of a number of new players who will learn a huge amount from the tour."

Wales squad for tour to North America; v USA on 4 June (Connecticut) and v Canada on 11 June (Toronto):

Backs: K Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), R Williams (Cardiff Blues), C Czekaj (Cardiff Blues), C Morgan (Cardiff Blues), T Selley (Llanelli Scarlets), M Taylor (Sale Sharks, capt), M Watkins (Llanelli Scarlets), C Sweeney (Newport Gwent Dragons), M Jones (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), N Robinson (Cardiff Blues), M Phillips (Llanelli Scarlets), A Williams (Bath).
Forwards: D Jones (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), J Yapp (Cardiff Blues), B Broster (Saracens), A Jones (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), M Davies (Gloucester), R Thomas (Cardiff Blues), M Rees (Llanelli Scarlets), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), B Cockbain (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), I Gough (Newport Gwent Dragons), R Sidoli (Cardiff Blues), C Charvis (Newcastle), R Jones (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), R Pugh (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), R Sowden-Taylor (Cardiff Blues), J Thomas (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), A Popham (Leeds).