All six of the 20-year-old’s appearances for Premiership strugglers Bath have been as a replacement, and he has already faced tough battles to overcome serious shoulder and knee injuries during his fledgling career.

But Wales coach Steve Hansen has no doubt about Delve’s potential, preferring to take the Cardiff-born youngster Down Under while more established back-row forwards such as his Bath colleague Gavin Thomas and Pontypridd’s Richard Parks remain at home.

Delve is joined in the 30-man party by two other uncapped players – Neath prop Adam Jones and Leeds flanker Alix Popham.

“It is a massive shock,” admitted Delve, who broke off preparations for Bath’s Premiership relegation clash against Newcastle on Saturday to attend today’s Millennium Stadium squad announcement.

“Being part of the Wales squad is something that I’ve dreamt about, but I didn’t think that it would happen this year. This is a brilliant opportunity for me.”

Hansen wants the likes of Delve, Jones and Popham to benefit from the experience that awaits them in Australia and New Zealand next month, and they clearly all figure in his World Cup thinking.

“We’ve had our eye on Gareth for quite some time,” said Hansen.

“He is a ball-carrier, which has been one of our problem areas, and although he has had injuries, he is back playing now, and playing well.”

Of the team that started Wales’ final RBS 6 Nations Championship fixture against France in March, only injured Cardiff wing Craig Morgan is absent from Hansen’s tour plans.

But the no-nonsense New Zealander has also issued a timely World Cup reminder that form – rather than reputation – counts for everything in terms of selection.

Llanelli centres Matthew Watkins and Leigh Davies, who both featured at varying points of the Six Nations campaign, miss out, along with Thomas, Parks, Northampton lock Steve Williams, record Welsh international points scorer Neil Jenkins and Llanelli prop Martyn Madden.

“We weren’t able to consider a number of players for a variety of reasons,” added Hansen.

“Some are ruled out through injury, others because of personal reasons and some because we want them to stay at home and work on their weaknesses.”

The omission of Watkins though, is a major surprise, given that he has proved himself this season as one of the most exciting attacking players in Wales.

Hansen also confirmed that Bridgend and Lions three-quarter Dafydd James is injured, and that Llanelli’s Chris Wyatt and Newport forward Ian Gough would be on stand-by while Pontypridd’s Michael Owen looks to confirm his tour fitness.

Hansen has selected four captains for the short tour – Cardiff flanker Martyn Williams, Swansea back-row man Colin Charvis, Llanelli hooker Robin McBryde and Scarlets fly-half Stephen Jones.

He will decide on his Test team skipper nearer the time.

“The reason for naming four tour captains is because we are trying to grow leadership qualities within the squad,” said Hansen.

“It gives us greater options, and means the workload off the field can be shared around four senior players.

“As well as the four captains, we will also have a lineout leader and a midfield leader to join them in forming a senior player group that will be able to not only consult with the management team, but also provide a ready-made point of contact for the younger squad members.

“This is a system that has been used very successfully in a number of other sports, notably with the Australian women’s hockey team. They used to have anything up to five captains in their squad.

“When we do name a Test captain, we will also have a number of capable lieutenants backing him up, players that some of the less experienced members of the team can turn to at any time.”

Llanelli provide the biggest single club representation with eight players, followed by Cardiff and Pontypridd on six each.

And the Llanelli contingent includes flanker Dafydd Jones, whose six-week ban following his sending off during the Scarlets’ Heineken Cup defeat against Perpignan last month expires on May 24.