Wales injury update

Posted on Feb 15, 2012 in Wales, Welsh Rugby

The Wales squad reported back for duty today for the first time after their RBS 6 Nations second round victory over Scotland on Sunday.

George North left the field during the 27-13 victory over the Scots with a sprained ankle and the Scarlets wing is currently undergoing intense rehab with a view to being back in training next week.

Huw Bennett (calf) and Ryan Jones (dead leg) also picked up their injuries at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday.  Ospreys hooker Bennett is also undergoing intense treatment and hopes to be back in training next week, his Regional colleague and captain for the day on Sunday, Ryan Jones, is in the early stages of rehab on his thigh injury, but again still hopes to be in contention for Twickenham.

The Wales squad captain, Blues back row Sam Warburton, was ruled out after a last minute fitness test on Sunday after failing to recover from a thigh problem.  Warburton will now take advantage of the extra time before the trip to England to further his recovery and is expected to be fully integrated back into training at the start of next week.

Two players who were ruled out of contention for selection for the Scotland game, Scarlets hooker Matthew Rees and Ospreys flanker Justin Tipuric, have both also handed Wales fitness boosts.

Tipuric is recovering well from his ankle problem and is expected back in full training on Monday and Rees is recovering well from his calf problem and, to date, remains in contention for selection against England.

Ospreys team to face Newport Gwent Dragons

Posted on Apr 14, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

The Ospreys team to play Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade on Friday 15th April 2011, kick off at 7.05pm, will be as follows:

15 Lee Byrne

14 Tommy Bowe

13 Andrew Bishop

12 James Hook

11 Nikki Walker

10 Dan Biggar

9 Rhys Webb

1 Paul James

2 Huw Bennett

3 Adam Jones

4 Ryan Jones

5 Alun Wyn Jones (Capt)

6 Tom Smith

7 Marty Holah

8 Jerry Collins

Replacements

16 Richard Hibbard

17 Ryan Bevington

18 Cai Griffiths

19 Ian Gough

20 Justin Tipuric

21 Tom Isaacs

22 Sonny Parker

23 Richard Fussell

Nikki Walker makes his 100th Ospreys appearance

Cai Griffiths will make his 100th Ospreys appearance if he comes off the bench

The following players were not considered because of injury:

Jonathan Spratt – ACL

Gareth Owen – Knee

Morgan Allen – Ankle

Tom Prydie – ACL

Jamie Nutbrown – Shoulder

Craig Cross – Hamstring

Ben John – Wrist

Shane Williams – Knee

Craig Mitchell – Shoulder

Ben Thomas – Knee

Richard Kelly – Lower leg

Jonathan Thomas – Hamstring

Director of Coaching, Scott Johnson commented:

“It’s a big period for us now, we’ve got three games left to secure a place in the top four and there’s everything to play for. We know what we need to do.

“It’s always a very difficult place to go, but we realise that what we need to do is focus on our own preparation, be diligent and thorough about the way we go about things, and ensure that we are clinical on the night. If the players know their jobs and do their homework on the opposition then we are confident that we can put in the level of performance required.

“We’re playing a team that enjoy playing at home and have a great record there, including beating Munster earlier this season. They are dangerous because they can get continuity into their game over a season, they aren’t as affected by international calls as others so they have the same group of players involved all season long, and continuity is the obvious benefit of having less players absent.

“It’s going to be a bumpy ride, they’ll try to make life difficult for us, but we’ve got to be professional and rise above that. We have to concentrate on our own job and not be sidetracked by anything else.”

Forthcoming fixtures

Sat 23 Apr – Ospreys V Munster – Liberty Stadium – Magners League – 6.30pm

Fri 6 May – Aironi V Ospreys – Stadio Luigi Zaffanella – Magners League – 7.05pm (UK time)

Ryan Jones returns to Wales captaincy vs Fiji

Posted on Nov 16, 2010 in Rugby News

Team in full

Ryan Jones returns to captain Wales against Fiji on Friday night at the Millennium Stadium in one of nine changes (pending Dan Lydiate’s fitness) made to the side which started the Invesco Perpetual Series defeat to South Africa on Saturday.

In the backs a new half-back pairing of Osprey Dan Biggar and Blues scrum-half Richie Rees replace Stephen Jones (Scarlets)and Mike Phillips (Ospreys), who both take up positions on the replacements bench.

Dragons wing Aled Brew starts in place of the injured Shane Williams (shoulder) and wins his fourth cap after last featuring on the international stage against England at Twickenham in 2007. Ospreys centre Andrew Bishop is reunited with his regional colleague James Hook, with Blues back Tom Shanklin moving to the bench.

Up front it’s an all Ospreys front row with Huw Bennett taking up hooker duties from Scarlet Matthew Rees, who is rested. In the second row Ian Gough (Ospreys) and Deiniol Jones (Blues) lock the scrum, with Bradley Davies (Blues) moving to the bench and Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) rested.

In the back row Jonathan Thomas is retained alongside returning captain and fellow Osprey Jones, Dragons back row Lydiate faces a fitness race to replace veteran Blues flanker Martyn Williams. If Lydiate returns from ankle trouble in time Williams will sit out the Fiji match, but should the Dragon fail fitness testing this week Williams will win his 98th cap for Wales.

On the bench Tongan born ‘Toby’ Faletau (full name: Tangaki Taulupe Faletau) is set to be Wales’ 1079th player and 63rd teenager, following 18 year old Scarlets wing George North – who is retained on the right wing against Fiji – who made his double try-scoring debut last week.

"We must maintain our focus this week, if we even cast an eye beyond Fiji on Friday night, to the World Cup or even just to the game a week later we could be left counting the cost," said Gatland.

"We know all too well that the Fijians bring an extra dimension to their game when they face Wales and there is no doubt they will have targeted us this weekend as a game think they can win.

"We have been self critical this week about our failure to close out matches when the finishing line may be in sight, no less than was evident against South Africa on Saturday.

"We need to be ruthless against Fiji and, with a few changes made to the starting line-up, more organised than ever.

"A couple of players, like Richie Rees and Huw Bennett get their chance to show what they can do from the start of a game rather than off the bench.

"And on the bench too we have a wealth of experience to call upon, should we need it, alongside a young man originally from Tonga who now qualifies for Wales who, at just 19, is alread quite a prospect.

"We are giving Dan (Lydiate)’s ankle injury time to settle down and are looking for him to start in a young back row, if he doesn’t make it Martyn (Williams) will come straight, but we are fairly relaxed about which way that falls and are blessed to be able to switch and change in that area if necessary to minimum impact."

WALES: Lee Byrne; George North, James Hook, Andrew Bishop, Aled Brew; Dan Biggar, Richie Rees; Paul James, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Ian Gough, Deiniol Jones, Ryan Jones (captain), Dan Lydiate/Martyn Williams, Jonathan Thomas
REPLACEMENTS: Richard Hibbard, John Yapp, Bradley Davies, Toby Faletau, Mike Phillips, Stephen Jones, Tom Shanklin

THE 62 TEENAGERS CAPPED BY WALES (including No 62 George North):
12 players have been aged 18 when first capped ..Date Born….Date of Cap…Age
Tom Prydie DoB 23/02/92 20/3/2010 18/27 days
Norman V Biggs 03/11/1870 22/12/1888 18/50 days
George North 13/04/92 13/11/2010 18/214 days
Evan Williams 18/06/1906 17/01/1925 18/214 days
Thomas W Pearson 10/05/1872 03/01/1891 18/239 days
David W Bowen 04/05/1864 16/12/1882 18/8 mnths
B Lewis Jones 11/04/1931 31/01/1950 18/10 mnths
Wm Henry Thomas 22/03/1866 10/01/1855 18/11 mnths
Keith Jarrett 18/05/1948 15/04/1967 18/11 mnths
Haydn Tanner 09/01/1917 21/12/1935 18/11 mnths
Algernon F Hill 13/01/1866 10/01/1885 18/362 days
G Llewellyn Lloyd 1877 14/03/1896 18 yrs(dob unknown)
50 players have been aged 19 when first capped (pre WWar2) Fred Andrews; William J Bancroft; Thomas Barlow; John Bartlett; Arthur Bassett; David Daniel; Eiryn Davies; WTH (Willie) Davies; Owen Evans; Robert Gould; Arthur Hickman; John Jenkins; Edgar Jones; G Rees-Jones; Tom Baker Jones; Cliff Jones; Henry Jordan; David H Lewis; Windsor H Lewis; D Percy Lloyd; W Guy Morgan; Jack Morley; Ronnie Morris; William Norton; Dai Parker; Harry Peacock; Bill Roberts; Lewis Thomas; Hugh Vincent; Phil Waller; Frank Williams.
(post WWar2)
Robert Ackerman; Trevor Brewer; Chris Czekaj; Glyn Davies; Leigh B Davies; Terry J Davies; John Devereux; Gareth Edwards; Scott Gibbs; LEIGH HALFPENNY, Gavin Henson; Neil Jenkins; Windsor Major; Terry Price; David Thomas; Malcolm Thomas; Richard Webster; JPR Williams; David Young.
WALES
15 Lee BYRNE (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,041)
DoB: 01.06.80. 6’3" / 1.91m. 15st 1lb / 96kgs
International record: 36 caps (W 14, L 21, D 1; 40 pts – 8T)
14 George NORTH (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,078)
DoB: 13.04.92. 6’4" / 1.92m. 16st 5lbs / 104kgs
International record: 1 cap (L 1; 10 pts – 2T)
13 James HOOK (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,047)
DoB: 27.06.85. 6’0" / 1.83m. 14st 7lbs / 92kgs
International record: 45 caps (W 18, L 26, D 1; 237 pts – 11T, 34C, 35PG, 3DG)
12 Andrew BISHOP (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,059)
DoB: 07.08.85. 6’0" / 1.83m. 14st 10lbs / 93kgs
International record: 13 caps (W 7, L 6)
11 Aled BREW (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,051)
DoB: 09.08.86. 6.0" / 1.83m. 15st 2lbs / 96kgs
International record: 3 caps (L 3)
10 Dan BIGGAR (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,063)
DoB: 16.10.89. 6’2" / 1.88m. 14st 3lbs / 90kgs
International record: 7 caps (W 4, L 3; 46 pts – 8C, 10PG)
9 Richard REES (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,072)
DoB: 21.05.83. 5’11" / 1.80m. 12st 8lb / 79kgs
International record: 7 caps (W 1, L 6; 5 pts – 1T)
1 Paul JAMES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,021)
DoB: 13.05.82. 6’1" / 1.86m. 18st 13lbs / 120kgs
International record: 15 caps (W 5, L 10)
2 Huw BENNETT (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,017)
DoB: 11.06.83. 6’0" / 1.83m. 16st 4lbs / 103kgs
International record: 36 caps (W 18, L 18)
3 Adam Rhys JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,018)
DoB: 08.03.81. 6’0" / 1.83m. 18st 10lb / 119kgs
International record: 66 caps (W 31, L 33, D 2; 10 pts – 2T)
4 Ian GOUGH (OSPREYS – Cap No 964)
DoB: 10.11.76. 6′ 6" / 1.98m. 18st 1lb / 115kgs
International record: 63 caps (W 30, L 30, D 3; 5 pts – 1T)
5 Deiniol JONES (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 981)
DoB: 18.11.77. 6’5" 1.96m. 17st 3lbs / 109kgs
International record: 12 caps (W 6, L 6)
6 Ryan JONES (OSPREYS, CAPTAIN – Cap No 1,029)
DoB: 13.03.81. 6’5" / 1.96m. 17st 3lbs / 109kgs
International record: 44 caps (W 23, L 20, D 1; 5 pts – 1T)
7 Dan LYDIATE (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,071)
DoB: 18.12.87. 1.93m / 6’4". 17st 4lbs / 110kgs
International record: 3 caps (W 1, L 2)
OR
Martyn WILLIAMS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 944)
DoB: 01.09.75. 6’0" / 1.83m. 14st 22lbs / 94kgs
International record: 97 caps (W 42, L 52, D 3; 73 pts – 14T, 1DG)
8 Jonathan THOMAS (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,013)
DoB: 27.12.82. 6’5" / 1.96m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 60 caps (W 27, L 31, D 2; 35 pts – 7T)
REPLACEMENTS
16 Richard HIBBARD (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,048)
DoB: 13.12.83. 6’0" / 1.83m. 17st 12lbs / 113kgs
International record: 9 caps (W 3, L 6)
17 John YAPP (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,031)
DoB: 09.04.83. 6’2" / 1.88m. 18st 12lbs / 120kgs
International record: 17 caps (W 12, L 5)
18 Bradley DAVIES (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,065)
DoB: 09.01.87. 6’6" / 1.98m. 18st 12lbs / 120kgs
International record: 15 caps (W 6, L 9)
19 Toby FALETAU (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS)
DoB: 12.11.90. 1.88m / 6’2". 17st 0lbs / 108kgs
International record: Uncapped
20 Michael PHILLIPS (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,022)
DoB: 29.08.82. 6’3" / 1.91m. 16st 0lb / 101kgs
International record: 44 caps (W 21, L 22, D 1; 20 pts – 4T)
21 Stephen JONES (SCARLETS – Cap No 966)
DoB: 08.12.77. 6’1" / 1.86m. 14st 7lbs / 92kgs
International record: 93 caps (W 39, L52, D2; 834 pts – 7T, 134C, 171PG, 6DG)
22 Tom SHANKLIN (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 993)
DoB: 24.11.79. 6’2" / 1.88m. 15st 9lbs / 99kgs
International record: 68 caps (W 32, L 35, D 1; 100 pts – 20T)

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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Ryan Jones is out of Australia clash – Gethin Jenkins takes over as Captain

Posted on Nov 27, 2009 in Rugby News

Ryan Jones has withdrawn from the Wales side to take on Australia in the Invesco Perpetual Series climax at the Millennium Stadium tomorrow (kick-off 5.15pm).

Gethin Jenkins will captain the team and Jones is replaced at No8 by Andy Powell, who moves across the back row, with Dragons flanker Dan Lydiate promoted from the bench to the blindside to win his second cap.

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