And now Owens, who is named on the Wales bench for the big Millennium Stadium contest against France, gets a richly deserved chance for his first international cap.
Wales’ coaching team has picked Ospreys hooker Huw Bennett to start on Friday night in replacement for injured Cardiff Blues hooker Gareth Williams, to make an all Ospreys front row. Scarlets and Lions hooker Matthew Rees is still recovering from injury.
Ken Owens joins Saracens prop Rhys Gill as the two players given opportunities to make their international debuts if called upon.
Should either Owens or Gill join the front row from the bench on Friday night they will become Wales' 1,073 and 1,074 internationals.
Owens, who grew up in Carmarthen and whose Dad, Delme is a former Carmarthen Athletic RFC rugby player, spoke last week about his call-up to Wales: “I got the call last week to join the Wales training camp and it was great experience and I am delighted to be involved.
“It’s a new type of training environment for me to get used to and was a bit of a challenge at first, getting to grips with the different calls but it is really good to be part of the Wales set-up and great experience for me.”
Owens joins the Wales squad with Scarlets colleague Stephen Jones who starts at outside half in his 10th international against France.
WALES: Lee Byrne; Leigh Halfpenny, James Hook, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams; Stephen Jones, Richard Rees; Paul James, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Bradley Davies, Deiniol Jones, Jonathan Thomas, Martyn Williams, Ryan Jones (Captain)
REPLACEMENTS: Ken Owens, Rhys Gill, Luke Charteris, Sam Warburton, Mike Phillips, Andrew Bishop, Tom Shanklin.
To purchase the last remaining Wales v France tickets contact the Scarlets Ticket Office on 0871 871 8088.
