NEWPORT lock Ian Gough today said he was stunned by his Wales recall against Tonga at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday and promised to run until he dropped to help his country out of their slump.

Goughs recall for his 15th cap comes six months after surgery to a major shoulder injury and without playing a full game for his club this season.

But he has played a full Wales A international against Argentina, two development games and made three second half appearances for Newport and feels he is fit enough to do himself and Wales justice.

I am both stunned and delighted, said Gough. Ive only started one senior game for Wales A when things didnt go well for the team, so its nice they believe I can do the job. I believe I can do it.

It was a long shot me being selected for any of the Autumn internationals but, if youre a betting man, theres always an outside chance and things not going well at the weekend helped me.

The selectors sometimes get forced into making changes and its up to me to prove the change was right.

Ive been given a chance again after months out injured. Its a great opportunity and Im excited to be honest.

Gough dislocated his shoulder in the Principality Cup final win over Neath in May and needed surgery to repair ligaments to make sure it did not dislocate again.

The surgery was a complete success and Gough promises not to shirk the big tackles expected against the powerful Tongans.

A couple of big shots against Argentina went OK and the shoulder came through, he said.

Im not the sort of player to back down.

I feel pretty fit in myself and confident in my play at the moment.

Im going to give it my best shot. Im going to run until I drop. Thats what I think we need, people who are going to give everything until theyre exhausted.

Gough knows the pressure is on Wales after dreadful displays against Ireland and Argentina, but says the camp is upbeat behind new captain Scott Quinnell.

You see the best of people when the chips are down sometimes, he said. We did after the Grannygate affair a couple of years ago. We came back and put a couple of great performances in.

Weve had a few little stumbles, but that happens in life. There are some great players in the squad and its up to us now to prove everyone wrong.

Its going to be a big ask. Tonga are renowned for their tackling, big hits and strong running.

Its just a matter of going out there and meeting fire with fire. Scotland did that and were successful in a very entertaining game.

Weve got players who can put big hits in and weve got players like Scott Quinnell who can make twenty or thirty-yard breaks, bouncing people off, so weve nothing to fear.

Theres obviously pressure, but everythings been positive and were not dwelling on the past.

The performances havent been quite there lately, but people have been given another chance to prove themselves.