Wales make seven changes for final Group D clash

Posted on Sep 30, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

There are seven changes to the Wales team for their final World Cup Pool D clash against Fiji at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on Sunday (kick-off 6.00pm).

The seven changes from the side who sealed an impressive 81-7 victory over Namibia last time out see Scarlets wing George North, his club-mate Rhys Priestland (outside half), Blues centre Jamie Roberts and Bayonne scrum half Mike Phillips all return to the backline. They replace Aled Brew (Dragons) and Stephen Jones, Jonathan Davies and Tavis Knoyle (all Scarlets).

North’s return sees Leigh Halfpenny (Blues) switch wings to the left side vacated by Brew and a further positional change in the centre sees Scarlet Scott Williams move out one spot to accommodate the return of Roberts at inside centre.

Wales’ most capped player, Stephen Jones (101), and centre Davies are on the replacements bench with scrum half Knoyle and wing Brew omitted from the 22-man match-day squad on this occasion. Up front, hooker Huw Bennett and prop Adam Jones return in place of Exeter Chiefs prop Craig Mitchell and Dragons hooker Lloyd Burns, with Burns on the bench.

In the second row Blues lock Bradley Davies is retained and partnered by Dragon Luke Charteris, with Osprey Alun Wyn Jones asked to provide cover as a replacement.

Elsewhere on the bench Blues scrum half Lloyd Williams keeps his place after making an impact last time out in New Plymouth, back row forward Andy Powell (Sale Sharks) is also retained and Ospreys prop Paul James completes the line-up.

Not considered for selection this week were Shane Williams, who is recovering well from a thigh strain, Dan Lydiate (ankle) and James Hook (shoulder).

“Shane might have been available to us if we had pushed him, but he has taken a limited part in training this week and we are happy with the back three we have been able to put on the field for this game,”said Wales head coach Warren Gatland.

“Alun Wyn (Jones) and Jonathan (Davies), are two of the players who have started in all three games so far and so we have freshened things up a little in the second row and the centre, but have both of them on the bench if we need them.

“In the front row Huw Bennett comes back in after resting up last week and Adam Jones also adds his extensive experience. Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips, Jamie Roberts and George North are all also back in and we will be very much asking them all to continue where they each left off the last time they took to the field.”

Wales’ Pool D opponents South Africa and Samoa meet in Auckland and, with the meeting with Fiji not occurring until 48 hours later, Gatland and his charges will know exactly what they have to do before kick-off in Hamilton on Sunday night – but he is not expecting any change of mood as a result.

“Our focus is entirely on Fiji, we know if we can win one more game, and win it well, that will give us the best chance of reaching the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup with significant momentum,” added Gatland.

WALES: Lee Byrne; George North, Scott Williams, Jamie Roberts, Leigh Halfpenny; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Gethin Jenkins, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Bradley Davies, Luke Charteris, Ryan Jones, Sam Warburton (captain), Toby Faletau

REPLACEMENTS: Lloyd Burns, Paul James, Alun Wyn Jones, Andy Powell, Lloyd Williams, Stephen Jones, Jonathan Davies

WALES

15 Lee BYRNE (ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE– Cap No 1,041)

DoB: 01.06.80. 6’3" / 1.91m. 14st 12lb / 94kgs

International record: 45 caps (W 19, L 24, D 2; 50 pts – 10T)

14 George NORTH (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,078)

DoB: 13.04.92. 6’4” / 1.92m. 16st 5lbs / 104kgs

International record: 11 caps (W 4, L 6, D 1; 40 pts – 8T)

13 Scott WILLIAMS (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,084)

DoB: 10.10.90. 6’0” / 1.83m. 15st 3lbs / 97kgs

International record: International record: 5 caps (W 3, L 2; 15 pts – 3T)

12 Jamie ROBERTS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,057)

DoB: 08.11.86. 6’4” / 1.93m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs

International record: 34 caps (W 16, L 18; 10 pts – 2T)

11 Leigh HALFPENNY (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,060)

DoB: 22.12.88. 5’10” / 1.77m. 13st 2lbs / 83kgs

International record: 22 caps (W 10, L 12; 62 pts – 7T, 9PG)

10 Rhys PRIESTLAND (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,080)

DoB: 07.01.87 1.82m / 6’0”. 13st 9lbs / 87kgs

International record: 7 caps (W 4, L 3; 22 pts – 5C, 4PG)

9 Mike PHILLIPS (BAYONNE – Cap No 1,022)

DoB: 29.08.82. 6’3” / 1.91m. 15st 10lb / 101kgs

International record: 56 caps (W 26, L 28, D 2; 30 pts – 6T)

1 Gethin JENKINS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,006)

DoB: 17.11.80. 6’2” / 1.88m. 18st 9lbs / 118kgs

International record: 78 caps (W 35, L 41, D 2; 20 pts – 4T)

2 Huw BENNETT (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,017)

DoB: 11.06.83. 6’0” / 1.83m. 16st 8lbs / 105kgs

International record: 44 caps (W 21, L 22, D 1)

3 Adam JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,018)

DoB: 08.03.81. 6’0” / 1.83m. 18st 12lb / 120kgs

International record: 72 caps (W 33, L 36, D 3; 10 pts – 2T)

4 Bradley DAVIES (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,065)

DoB: 09.01.87. 6’6” / 1.98m. 19st 1lbs / 121kgs

International record: 27 caps (W 12, L 14, D 1)

5 Luke CHARTERIS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,030)

DoB: 09.03.83. 6’9” / 2.06m. 19st 10lbs / 125kgs

International record: 28 caps (W 14, L 14)

6 Ryan JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,029)

DoB: 13.03.81. 6’5” / 1.96m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs

International record: 54 caps (W 27, L 25, D 2; 5 pts – 1T)

7 Sam WARBURTON (CARDIFF BLUES, CAPTAIN – Cap No 1,070)

DoB: 05.10.88. 1.88m / 6’2”. 16st 4lbs / 103kgs

International record: 20 caps (W 10, L 10; 5 pts – 1T)

8 Toby FALETAU (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,082)

DoB: 12.11.90. 1.88m / 6’2”. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs

International record: 6 caps (W 3, L 3; 10 pts – 2T)

REPLACEMENTS

16 Lloyd BURNS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,085)

DoB: 09.12.84. 6’0” / 1.83m. 17st 0lbs / 108kgs

International record: 5 caps (W 3, L 2)

17 Paul JAMES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,021)

DoB: 13.05.82. 6’1” / 1.86m. 18st 2lbs / 115kgs

International record: 28 caps (W 11, L 16, D 1)

18 Alun Wyn JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,046)

DoB: 19.09.85. 6’5” / 1.96m. 18st 10lbs / 119kgs

International record: 55 caps (W 23, L 32; 35 pts – 7T)

19 Andy POWELL (SALE SHARKS – Cap No 1,061)

DoB: 23.08.81. 6’4” / 1.94m. 18st 0lbs / 114kgs

International record: 20 caps (W 11, L 9; 5 pts – 1T)

20 Lloyd WILLIAMS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,087)

DoB: 30.11.89. 6’0” / 1.83m. 13st 9lbs / 87kgs

International record: 2 caps (W 2; 5 pts – 1T)

21 Stephen JONES (SCARLETS– Cap No 966)

DoB: 08.12.77. 6’1” / 1.86m. 14st 7lbs / 92kgs

International record: 101 caps (W 41, L 56, D 3; 904 pts – 7T, 148C, 185PG, 6DG)

22 Jonathan DAVIES (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,066)

DoB:05.04.88. 6’1” / 1.86m. 16st 3lb / 103kgs

International record: 17 caps (W 9, L 8; 15 pts – 3T)

Wales team to face France – North is back

Posted on Mar 17, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

George North has gained a dramatic recall to the Welsh starting lineup to face France following the withdrawal of mercurial wing, Shane Williams. Also recalled is prop Adam Jones, despite only having 20 minutes of action for the Ospreys since recovering from an arm operation.

Both changes have been enforced through injury with Ospreys prop Craig Mitchell (shoulder) and wing Shane Williams (knee) withdrawing after the 19 -13 victory over Ireland at the Millennium Stadium last weekend.

18-year-old Scarlet North, who scored a brace of tries on his international debut against world champions South Africa in November 2010, now comes in after returning for the Scarlets after three months out in February and starred in a try-scoring win over Edinburgh.

Wales team to face France

1. Paul James
2. Matthew Rees
3. Adam Jones
4. Bradley Davies
5. Alun-Wyn Jones
6. Dan Lydiate
7. Sam Warburton
8. Ryan Jones
9. Mike Phillips
10. James Hook
11. George North
12. Jonathan Davies
13. Jamie Roberts
14. Leigh Halfpenny
15. Lee Byrne

Replacements: John Yapp, Richard Hibbard, Jonathan Thomas, Rob McCusker, Dwayne Peel, Stephen Jones, Morgan Stoddart

Halfpenny and Thomas claim Wales starts

Posted on Feb 9, 2010 in Rugby News

Wales have made two changes from the starting line-up defeated by England at Twickenham in the RBS 6 Nations opener last weekend for the visit of Scotland to the Millennium Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 2.00pm).  In the second row Osprey Jonathan Thomas reforms his regional partnership with Alun-Wyn Jones at the expense of Dragons lock Luke Charteris. In the backs Leigh Halfpenny comes in for his Blues colleague Tom James on the wing.

Gethin Jenkins has recovered from his calf injury to be named on the bench and, in one of three changes there, he joins fellow Blues players Sam Warburton, who covers the back row, and centre or wing Tom Shanklin.

“Jonathan brings over 50 caps of experience to the tight five and offers us some extra mobility around the field,” said Wales coach Warren Gatland.

“Leigh is a recognised right wing who offers us an extra kicking option and his return to full fitness after limited training in the run up to the England game allows his selection.

“We think we have a very strong bench with the right mix of players each able to make an impact if called upon and are pleased to be able to name Gethin although he will undergo further fitness assessments later in the week.

“Tom Shanklin returns to provide another 65-caps worth of experience as cover for the backs and Sam Warburton comes in as back row cover with JT (Jonathan Thomas) now having been nominated as a starting second row.”

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