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Burns Hoping to Make Wales Debut as Baggott Set to Add to Indonesia Caps - Ipswich Town News

Wing-back Wes Burns could win his first full Wales cap and centre-half Elkan Baggott could add to his international appearances for Indonesia later today.

Cardiff-born Burns was a late call into the Wales squad for their June internationals which get under way when they face Poland in a UEFA Nations League tie in Wroclaw this evening (KO 5pm, live on S4C or Premier 1 HD) following a training camp in Portugal.

Manager Rob Page has said he plans to rest the likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey for tonight’s game ahead of Sunday’s World Cup play-off against Scotland or Ukraine in Cardiff, meaning Burns could be among those involved at some stage.

The 27-year-old has been called up to the senior squad twice previously, back in 2015 and 2016, but without making his debut.

"2016 was the last time I was in a senior camp but obviously did not get a chance get a cap,” he said at a press conference last week.

"But hopefully with the number of games we have coming up over a short period of time, I can get that cap now.”

He recalled: "I was in the bigger squad before they had to trim it down for the Euros [in 2016]. Tom Lawrence got injured before that, so Chris Coleman said 'We need you to fly with us to France just in case’.

"I was only there for a couple of days then they did not need me. I was very young so just being part of it was a massive learning experience for me. I took a lot of that experience of the squad back with me into my football back home.

"I think that helped me kick on to progress in my career. I was so close yet so far, but just being part of it was the main thing for me.”

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🔥 @wesley__burns and the Wales squad have been preparing for tomorrow's UEFA Nations League test against Poland.

ðŸ"¸ @Cymru #itfc pic.twitter.com/65waFrXiod– Ipswich Town FC (@IpswichTown) May 31, 2022

Reflecting on potentially making his long-awaited debut this evening Burns, who won 18 caps at U21 level, scoring six times, added: "It would be one of the proudest moments of my career to be able to pull on that shirt and give all I can for my country.”

Following tonight’s match and Sunday’s big play-off, which if they win would see the Welsh qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time since 1958, Wales continue their Nations League campaign against the Netherlands at Cardiff on Wednesday 8th June and away on Tuesday 14th June, and a home match against Belgium on Saturday 11th June.

Baggott joined up with the Indonesia squad at the end of last week and is expected to win his seventh full cap when his side take on Bangladesh in a friendly in Bandung this afternoon (KO 2.30pm).

The game is part of their preparations for third round Asian Cup qualifiers in Kuwait where they will face the hosts on Wednesday 8th June, Jordan three days later and Nepal on Tuesday 14th June.

Born in Thailand to an English father and Indonesian mother, 19-year-old Baggott scored his first international goal in a 4-1 victory over Malaysia at the AFF Suzuki Cup in January.

Last month, Baggott had been due to join up with Indonesia’s U23s squad midway through the SEA Games in Vietnam, having initially been required for domestic fixtures by Town, but was unable to do so after picking up a knock.

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A post shared by ELKAN BAGGOTT (@elkanbaggott)

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