Ramsey and Bale not undercooked for Wales World Cup play-off, insists Page

Robert Page has insisted Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey will be “fighting fit” for Wales’s World Cup play-off semi-final against Austria and is not concerned they could be undercooked, despite the pair struggling for game time at their clubs.

Bale has played 77 minutes for Real Madrid since Wales’s rout of Belarus in November and Ramsey, who joined Rangers on loan from Juventus in January, has made only two starts since that international camp.

Page said he was confident Bale and Ramsey would be in “peak condition” for next Thursday’s match at a sold-out Cardiff City Stadium and suggested playing for Wales helped the key duo to excel. The manager conceded their fitness could have been a problem had they been facing a possible play-off final the following Tuesday. The final will take place in June after Scotland v Ukraine was postponed.

Goalkeepers Wayne Hennessey (Burnley), Adam Davies (Stoke) Tom King (Salford City)

Defenders Ben Davies (Tottenham), Joe Rodon (Tottenham), Ben Cabango (Swansea), Ethan Ampadu (Venezia, on loan from Chelsea), Chris Mepham (Bournemouth), Neco Williams (Fulham, on loan from Liverpool), Rhys Norrington-Davies (Sheffield United), Connor Roberts (Burnley), Chris Gunter (Charlton)

Midfielders Dylan Levitt (Dundee United, on loan from Manchester United), Aaron Ramsey (Rangers, on loan from Juventus), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff), Joe Morrell (Portsmouth), Will Vaulks (Cardiff), Joe Allen (Stoke), Harry Wilson (Fulham), Jonny Williams (Swindon)

Forwards Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Brennan Johnson (Nottingham Forest), Mark Harris (Cardiff), Daniel James (Leeds), Sorba Thomas (Huddersfield), Rabbi Matondo (Cercle Brugge)

“We took Aaron to the Czech Republic [in October] and we were concerned about the two