Sam Warburton returns to lead Wales' assault on the RBS 6 Nations Championship title against France at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday in the only change to the side which beat Italy last weekend to keep dreams of a 2012 clean sweep alive. (KO 2.45pm)
The Dragons will provide two starting players for Saturday’s game, in Dan Lydiate and Toby Faletau, with Faletau having played every game of the Championship so far.
Consistency has been a watchword for Warren Gatland and his coaching team this campaign with a total of 10 players having started every match in the tournament - the backline of Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North, Rhys Priestland and Mike Phillips join, Evans, Faletau and prop Jones in the achievement.
Close comparisons can still be made to Wales' Rugby World Cup side and just three players - Shane Williams (retired), Huw Bennett (injured) and Luke Charteris (on the replacements bench this weekend) - are absent from the side which started against France in the RWC semi-final at Eden Park last Autumn, but the players and coaches have their mind sets rooted firmly in Cardiff and the present rather than New Zealand and the past.
WALES: Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Ian Evans, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (C), Toby Faletau
REPLACEMENTS: Ken Owens, Paul James, Luke Charteris, Ryan Jones, Lloyd Williams, James Hook, Scott Williams
The Dragons will provide two starting players for Saturday’s game, in Dan Lydiate and Toby Faletau, with Faletau having played every game of the Championship so far.
Consistency has been a watchword for Warren Gatland and his coaching team this campaign with a total of 10 players having started every match in the tournament - the backline of Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North, Rhys Priestland and Mike Phillips join, Evans, Faletau and prop Jones in the achievement.
Close comparisons can still be made to Wales' Rugby World Cup side and just three players - Shane Williams (retired), Huw Bennett (injured) and Luke Charteris (on the replacements bench this weekend) - are absent from the side which started against France in the RWC semi-final at Eden Park last Autumn, but the players and coaches have their mind sets rooted firmly in Cardiff and the present rather than New Zealand and the past.
WALES: Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Ian Evans, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (C), Toby Faletau
REPLACEMENTS: Ken Owens, Paul James, Luke Charteris, Ryan Jones, Lloyd Williams, James Hook, Scott Williams
