Shane still the first name on Gatland’s team sheet

Posted on Nov 16, 2011

Shane Williams is currently the first name on Warren Gatland’s team sheet for the “Dove Men Challenge” clash against Australia at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, 3 December (kick-off 2.30pm).

Gatland names a 26-man squad this Sunday for the ‘re-match’ with the Wallabies, which replicates the 21-18 Rugby World Cup third place play-off defeat in New Zealand less than a month ago – the game which finally ended Welsh RWC medal hopes.

And the national head coach has declared that the 86-times capped Wales record try scorer (57) will not only be in the squad, but is guaranteed to start his final game for his country, assuming fitness.

“Shane is playing well at the moment, we will be selecting him on Sunday and we want him to start against the Wallabies,” said Gatland.

“He has been a magnificent servant, not just to Welsh rugby, but to the world game and fans who believe he deserves a magnificent send-off will not be disappointed.

“This game is important to us, it will help us put the disappointment of those final two matches in the World Cup behind us and can be a springboard to our 2012 Six Nations campaign.

“We will name a 26-man squad this weekend which will largely contain everyone in that World Cup squad who is available to us.”

At 34-years-old Ospreys wing Williams, who won the IRB World Player of the Year award in 2008 and has featured on two British & Irish Lions tours (2005, 2009) – scoring a further two tries to add to his total for Wales – had suggested he would retire after the RWC in New Zealand, but has been persuaded to postpone his decision.

But Gatland says he will now allow Williams to go gracefully into the international retirement he so richly deserves and resist any temptation to try to persuade him to return should future circumstances tempt him to do so.

“Shane is still playing very well and you never say ‘never’ as a coach, but if this was the first game of the Six Nations we would be selecting players who we know will be around for the next RWC and he would not be in that category,” said Gatland.

“In the New Year the philosophy will very much be to start planning for 2015, so if fans want to see the top try scorer Welsh rugby has ever seen in international action for one last time at the Millennium Stadium, then this game with the Wallabies should be their final opportunity.”

Gethin to captain Wales against Australia in RWC playoff

Posted on Oct 18, 2011

Gethin Jenkins will captain a Wales side which shows three changes, plus one positional, to the starting line-up for the Rugby World Cup 3rd place play-off clash with Australia at Eden Park on Friday night (8.30pm).

Ospreys prop Paul James comes into the front row in place of his regional colleague Adam Jones, who has a calf injury.
Cardiff Blues lock Bradley Davies starts in place of another Osprey, lock Alun Wyn Jones, with Jones moving to the bench.

Ryan Jones joins the back row in place of squad captain Sam Warburton, who is suspended, with Toby Faletau shifting from No8 to open-side flanker to accommodate the Ospreys flanker and fill the berth vacated by Warburton.

On the bench prop Ryan Bevington (Ospreys) provides front row cover in place of James and Sales Sharks back row Andy Powell is also added due to the promotion of Jones.

“We are sticking with the majority of the side which has put together a string of performances for us so far in this tournament, the one change which wasn’t forced, in the second row, is based on the fact that Alun Wyn ran himself into the ground when we faced 14 men against France last week,”  said Wales head coach Warren Gatland.

“We face Australia back home at the Millennium Stadium in just over a month’s time and we are single-minded in our assertion that we want that home-coming to be a celebration of us achieving the status of one of the top three teams in the world.

“We have come a long way and put together a string of performances that the nation can be proud of so far in New Zealand and we need to ensure that the history books reflect what we know we are capable of – and it is only by beating the Wallabies on Friday night that we feel this will be achieved.”
WALES: Leigh Halfpenny; George North, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams, James Hook, Mike Phillips; Gethin Jenkins (c), Huw Bennett, Paul James, Bradley Davies, Luke Charteris, Dan Lydiate, Toby Faletau, Ryan Jones,
Replacements: Lloyd Burns, Ryan Bevington, Alun Wyn Jones, Andy Powell, Lloyd Williams, Stephen Jones, Scott Williams.

Two more games and they’re legends

Posted on Oct 11, 2011

It’s funny how things turn around. Especially in the psyche of we Welsh supporters. The boys only need to win two more games and they’ll be forever legends, talked of in the same awed tones as JPR, Barry and Gareth. My son will be saying to my grandson, "Yes, I went to school with Sam, and to be honest, he could never catch me on the rugby pitch…" I’ll be happy to point out that I was waving the flag for Doctor Bob way before anyone else, "I first noticed him in his pram…"

And of that tactical genius, “Sir” Robert Howley, we all knew… Really we did. Stan is that rare combination of humility and hidden depths. The mastermind who plays his cards close to his chest. The dynamic chess master whose strategy was so arcane, not even the finest rugby minds could fathom it, until it was fully unleashed. Then it was too late, and a red tide swept over the RWC.

Then there’s Edwards, the only Englishman since David Duckham good enough to be Welsh. We’ll forget that his parents didn’t have enough money to drive to Cardiff for his birth, safe in the knowledge that we know they wanted to.

Finally… Finally. The Master. We may have called him Cement Head. We may have derided him with references to Gatlandball. But we all knew, that deep within that affable kiwi persona beat the heart of a true Celtic warrior. He is a general, a wartime planner of unparalleled guile and genius, a god amongst men. Move over Carwyn, W.D. Gatland is ready to take the torch.

These men are ready to be legendary. Just two more games. Of course.. If they fack it up…

Wales face Australia at the MS

Posted on Aug 24, 2011

Wales will face Australia at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, 3 December, 2011 (kick-off 2.30pm) the Welsh Rugby Union confirmed today.

The now customary post-Rugby World Cup fixture will come just a month after the William Webb Ellis Trophy has been won and give fans the chance to see the returning Wales side on home soil for the first time since the New Zealand tournament.

Wales bosses and fans alike will be hoping the fixture can be a celebration of the efforts of the squad at the 2011 RWC and can now also watch with further fascination to see what kind of performances can be expected from the Wallabies in Cardiff.

Tradition dictates that the two sides will contest the James Bevan Trophy, currently held by the Southern Hemisphere superpowers, when they meet at the national stadium and, regardless of what happens at RWC time, Wales will be looking to avenge the 25-16 home defeat of the 2010 November series.

“There is always huge demand for Autumn rugby at the Millennium Stadium as fans have become used to watching Wales face some of the best teams in the world at home fixtures,” said WRU group head of sales and marketing Craig Maxwell.

“And from Monday 19 September rugby supporters can get their hands on tickets to welcome their rugby heroes back home at the Millennium Stadium to face Australia, just a few weeks after the illustrious Rugby World Cup.

“The Wales v Australia match is the perfect culmination of Wales’ RWC efforts and the start of a new chapter as we look ahead to the  2012 6 Nations Championship and Wales fans should act fast to get their tickets to get behind the team.”

Martyn Williams to captain Wales as Ryan withdraws from team

Posted on Aug 18, 2011

Ryan Jones has been withdrawn from the Wales squad to face Argentina at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 2.30pm), in a precautionary move to help him recover from an on-going calf problem.

The Wales and British & Irish Lions No8, who was due to make a record equalling 28^th appearance as national captain in the match against the Pumas, has been replaced in the starting line-up by Andy Powell (Sale Sharks).

Ospreys back five player Jonathan Thomas comes onto the bench to get his first opportunity of the summer RWC warm-up campaign and triple-World Cup veteran Martyn Williams, who will win his 99^th cap, has been handed the captaincy.

“Ryan wanted to play and could have played but we have talked it through with him and we didn’t feel we needed to take any risks him this weekend,” said Wales head coach Warren Gatland.

“We have withdrawn him as a precaution and told him we are happy with what he has done so far in terms of making a claim for RWC selection.

“The 30-man squad will be named at the Millennium Stadium on Monday and, without getting ahead of ourselves, we have told him how important he is to us.”

Jonathan THOMAS (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,013)
DoB: 27.12.82. 6’5” / 1.96m. 17st 7lbs / 111kgs
International record: 66 caps (W 29, L 34, D 3; 35 pts – 7T)