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Martyn Williams is the shock omission from Wales' 28-man squad for the 2011 Six Nations Championship.
The 35-year-old British & Irish Lions flanker has been dropped two caps shy of his 100th appearance.
Props Ryan Bevington and Scott Andrews, two of five uncapped players, have been brought to cover the injured duo of Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins.
Scrum-half Dwayne Peel is in for the banned Richie Rees, and Dan Biggar is omitted for uncapped Rhys Priestland.
Priestland's Scarlets team-mate Josh Turnbull and Dragons number eight Toby Faletau are the other two uncapped players in a slimmed-down squad.
"We have deliberately kept the squad as small as possible and have reverted back largely to the philosophy we had during the Grand Slam year in 2008," said coach Warren Gatland.
"We want to keep intensity levels up in training and have ensured that we are not carrying players with injury. Everyone here is fighting fit and able to take a full part and challenge each other for selection.
"It's a boost to have one or two players back from injury in the backline with Shane [Williams] and Lee [Byrne] both doubts at one stage and Leigh [Halfpenny] and Jamie [Roberts] returning after being unavailable to us in the autumn, there's an exciting look about the backs.
"Up front, it's well documented that we have lost a couple of players in the front row, but that gives opportunities to others to put their hands up, and we are pleased with the options we have got in the pack.
"The forwards have been going pretty well and we have decided to give a couple of youngsters a chance this tournament, but that doesn't mean there is no way back for those who have missed out.
"We are conscious that we need to begin to realise our potential and that means winning some games.
"It all starts against England at the Millennium Stadium [on Friday, 4 February] and they don't come much bigger than that."
Priestland is the only uncapped player in the backs and he is joined by three-times capped Scarlets wing-cum-full-back Morgan Stoddart, making his first squad appearance since facing Canada in 2008.
The size of the squad and fit-again players means there is no room for Dragons wings Aled Brew or Will Harries, Blues wings Tom James or Chris Czekaj or Biggar.
From the 35-man squad selected for the autumn internationals Ospreys wing Tom Prydie also misses out with Scarlets flier George North currently also absent through injury.
Williams might have become surplus to requirements but Gatland has picked a strong back-row contingent of Dan Lydiate (Dragons) Sam Warburton (Blues), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Faletau and Powell.
But Ryan Jones has been picked as a lock a long with Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) and Bradley Davies (Blues), though there is no place for Ospreys' Ian Gough.
In the front row, Osprey Paul James is also retained alongside regional colleagues Craig Mitchell and Bevington and Blues prop John Yapp.
The two hookers in the reduced squad are Matthew Rees, retained as captain, and Osprey Richard Hibbard, with Hibbard's regional colleague Huw Bennett losing out.
Mike Phillips (Ospreys) and Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets) are retained alongside Peel to make up the contingent of three scrum-halves.
Scarlets fly-half Stephen Jones keeps his spot and Osprey James Hook - normally a centre but also considered as a fly-half and full-back - joins Roberts and Jonathan Davies who make their returns at centre at the expense of Tom Shanklin (Blues) and Andrew Bishop (Ospreys) who are both ruled out through injury.
Wales squad: (forwards) Paul James (Ospreys), John Yapp (Blues), Craig Mitchell (Ospreys), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Scott Andrews (Blues), Matthew Rees (Scarlets, capt), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Blues), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Andy Powell (Wasps), Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), Toby Faletau (Dragons), Dan Lydiate (Dragons).
Backs: Mike Phillips (Ospreys), Dwayne Peel (Sharks), Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), James Hook (Ospreys), Jamie Roberts (Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Shane Williams (Ospreys), Morgan Stoddart (Scarlets), Leigh Halfpenny (Blues), Lee Byrne (Ospreys).
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The 35-year-old British & Irish Lions flanker has been dropped two caps shy of his 100th appearance.
Props Ryan Bevington and Scott Andrews, two of five uncapped players, have been brought to cover the injured duo of Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins.
Scrum-half Dwayne Peel is in for the banned Richie Rees, and Dan Biggar is omitted for uncapped Rhys Priestland.
Priestland's Scarlets team-mate Josh Turnbull and Dragons number eight Toby Faletau are the other two uncapped players in a slimmed-down squad.
"We have deliberately kept the squad as small as possible and have reverted back largely to the philosophy we had during the Grand Slam year in 2008," said coach Warren Gatland.
"We want to keep intensity levels up in training and have ensured that we are not carrying players with injury. Everyone here is fighting fit and able to take a full part and challenge each other for selection.
"It's a boost to have one or two players back from injury in the backline with Shane [Williams] and Lee [Byrne] both doubts at one stage and Leigh [Halfpenny] and Jamie [Roberts] returning after being unavailable to us in the autumn, there's an exciting look about the backs.
"Up front, it's well documented that we have lost a couple of players in the front row, but that gives opportunities to others to put their hands up, and we are pleased with the options we have got in the pack.
"The forwards have been going pretty well and we have decided to give a couple of youngsters a chance this tournament, but that doesn't mean there is no way back for those who have missed out.
"We are conscious that we need to begin to realise our potential and that means winning some games.
"It all starts against England at the Millennium Stadium [on Friday, 4 February] and they don't come much bigger than that."
Priestland is the only uncapped player in the backs and he is joined by three-times capped Scarlets wing-cum-full-back Morgan Stoddart, making his first squad appearance since facing Canada in 2008.
The size of the squad and fit-again players means there is no room for Dragons wings Aled Brew or Will Harries, Blues wings Tom James or Chris Czekaj or Biggar.
From the 35-man squad selected for the autumn internationals Ospreys wing Tom Prydie also misses out with Scarlets flier George North currently also absent through injury.
Williams might have become surplus to requirements but Gatland has picked a strong back-row contingent of Dan Lydiate (Dragons) Sam Warburton (Blues), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Faletau and Powell.
But Ryan Jones has been picked as a lock a long with Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) and Bradley Davies (Blues), though there is no place for Ospreys' Ian Gough.
In the front row, Osprey Paul James is also retained alongside regional colleagues Craig Mitchell and Bevington and Blues prop John Yapp.
The two hookers in the reduced squad are Matthew Rees, retained as captain, and Osprey Richard Hibbard, with Hibbard's regional colleague Huw Bennett losing out.
Mike Phillips (Ospreys) and Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets) are retained alongside Peel to make up the contingent of three scrum-halves.
Scarlets fly-half Stephen Jones keeps his spot and Osprey James Hook - normally a centre but also considered as a fly-half and full-back - joins Roberts and Jonathan Davies who make their returns at centre at the expense of Tom Shanklin (Blues) and Andrew Bishop (Ospreys) who are both ruled out through injury.
Wales squad: (forwards) Paul James (Ospreys), John Yapp (Blues), Craig Mitchell (Ospreys), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Scott Andrews (Blues), Matthew Rees (Scarlets, capt), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Blues), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Andy Powell (Wasps), Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), Toby Faletau (Dragons), Dan Lydiate (Dragons).
Backs: Mike Phillips (Ospreys), Dwayne Peel (Sharks), Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), James Hook (Ospreys), Jamie Roberts (Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Shane Williams (Ospreys), Morgan Stoddart (Scarlets), Leigh Halfpenny (Blues), Lee Byrne (Ospreys).
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