Magners League Official Website : Welsh unchanged for Scotland clash

Mike Phillips - on the bench for Wales

Welsh unchanged for Scotland clash

8 February 2006, 1:54 pm

By Jonathan McConnell

Wales coach Mike Ruddock has named an unchanged starting line-up for Scotland’s RBS 6 Nations visit to the Millennium Stadium on Sunday.

The only changes to the squad defeated by England at Twickenham last weekend come on the bench, with Cardiff Blues scrum half Michael Phillips replacing the injured Gareth Cooper and Bath back rower Gareth Delve preferred to the Llanelli Scarlets’ Alix Popham.

Delve has recovered from a hamstring problem to provide a welcome boost to Ruddock’s plans and Popham loses out largely because the coach has opted for second row cover by retaining new cap Adam Mathias Jones as a replacement.

“Gareth was originally selected last week before being ruled out through injury and, after Adam’s debut appearance last weekend, we have decided to retain his valuable talents as second row cover,” said Ruddock.

“Apart from Delve’s return and the enforced change to the bench due to Gareth Cooper’s dislocated shoulder, with Michael Phillips an able replacement, we have kept faith with the side that lost out at Twickenham.
“The same15 players have a chance to dispel the demons of that loss and show what they are really capable of.
“Just as we were confident we could win last week, we think these players have the talent to put on a show against Scotland and get us back where we belong – on a winning run.

“Scotland will come to us on the back of big win against France and now they’ve tasted success they’ll be hungry for more. They are strong up front and at the set piece and have the kind of backs that can hurt you if you don’t get your defensive lines right, but we will be playing our way and taking the game to them.”

Scotland have not won away from home in their last seven RBS 6 Nations attempts and have only won twice when travelling in the history of the tournament.
Wales won four of their last five home matches and remained unbeaten last season, but the coach says history is not a factor.

“We are looking forwards not backwards as we build a squad for the World Cup and, whilst commentators have pointed to our injury list as a potential excuse for underperformance, we are seizing the chance to blood new players and develop the international experience of existing ones,” added Ruddock.

“The players we have at our disposal are capable of great things and we are maintaining our high standards of preparation in order to ensure that great things are achieved.”

Wales team: G Thomas (capt, Toulouse); M Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), H Luscombe (Newport Gwent Dragons), M Watkins (Llanelli Scarlets), S Williams (Ospreys); S Jones (Clermont Auvergne), D Peel (Llanelli Scarlets); D Jones (Ospreys), R Thomas (Cardiff Blues), A R Jones (Ospreys), I Gough (Newport Gwent Dragons), R Sidoli (Cardiff Blues), C Charvis (Newcastle Falcons), M Williams, (Cardiff Blues), M Owen (Newport Gwent Dragons). Replacements: M Davies (Gloucester), G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), G Delve (Bath), A M Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), M Phillips, (Cardiff Blues), N Robinson (Cardiff Blues), Lee Byrne (Llanelli Scarlets).