Monday, March 1, 2010

Wales lose forward duo to injury

Wales hooker Gareth Williams
Wales hooker Gareth Williams is out of the Six Nations squad

Wales have lost Cardiff Blues hooker Gareth Williams and lock Deiniol Jones to injury for their remaining two Six Nations games.

Williams (knee) has been out of action since Wales beat Scotland 31-24 and Jones (ribs) came off in the first half as they lost 26-20 to France on Friday.

Wales' squad for the games against Ireland and Italy now stands at 32 men.

Coach Warren Gatland has also released 14 players to Wales' four regions for the weekend's Magners League clashes.

Ospreys hooker Huw Bennett played the whole game against France on Friday as uncapped Scarlet Ken Owens watched from the bench.

Williams' absence removes an experienced player from the equation as Gatland hopes Matthew Rees may come through the Scarlets' clash with Ulster at Parc y Scarlets on Friday.

Jones was replaced against France by Newport Gwent Dragons Luke Charteris, who many felt was unlucky not to have started that match.

Williams and Jones join Gethin Jenkins (calf), Peel (groin), Mike Phillips (ankle), Alun Wyn Jones (elbow), Andy Powell (discipline) and Matthew Rees (groin) in seeing their Six Nations campaigns disrupted or ended.

But with a host of players having had little game time during the tournament, Gatland has given 14 squad members the chance to play for their regions in the Magners League at the weekend.

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Dwayne Peel, Eifion Lewis-Roberts (both Sale) and Rhys Gill (Saracens) are also automatically available for their clubs.

Scrum-half Mike Phillips is given the chance to build match fitness after being among the six unused replacements when Wales took on the French.

Phillips was named on the bench despite only 40 minutes of Ospreys action on his comeback from a four-month injury lay-off the previous weekend.

The Ospreys also have Andrew Bishop, Dan Biggar, Tom Prydie, Kristian Phillips and Ian Gough available to face Edinburgh at Murrayfield on Sunday.

The Scarlets will be able to choose between hookers Rees and Owens and can also call on centre Jonathan Davies.

Charteris and flanker Dan Lydiate will return to Dragons duty in time for their meeting with Munster at Rodney Parade on Saturday.

Flanker Sam Warburton and backs Tom Shanklin and Tom James will be available for the Blues as they host Leinster at the Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday.

Wales face Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday, 13 March and Italy at the Millennium Stadium seven days later.


Wales' Six Nations squad:

Backs: Leigh Halfpenny, Tom James, Richard Rees, Jamie Roberts, Tom Shanklin (all Cardiff Blues) Dan Biggar, Andrew Bishop, Lee Byrne, James Hook, Kristian Phillips, Tom Prydie, Shane Williams (all Ospreys), Jonathan Davies, Stephen Jones (all Scarlets), Dwayne Peel (Sale Sharks).

Forwards: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Bradley Davies, Gethin Jenkins, Sam Warburton, Martyn Williams (all Cardiff Blues), Huw Bennett, Ian Gough, Paul James, Adam Jones, Ryan Jones (capt), Jonathan Thomas (all Ospreys), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Luke Charteris, Dan Lydiate (both Newport Gwent Dragons), Eifion Lewis-Roberts (Sale Sharks), Rhys Gill (Saracens).

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