:: ::
Latest News
Ryan Jones (with ball in hand)
Ospreys skipper Ryan Jones captains Wales for the 20th time this weekend
Ospreys skipper joins an elite group of Welshmen
24 November 2009, 1:41 pm
By Marc Heywood
Ospreys skipper Ryan Jones will join an elite group of Welsh internationals when he leads his country against Australia this Saturday.
The 28-year-old back row is one of 127 men to have captained Wales but is set to become only the fifth man to skipper the Dragons on 20 occasions.

Jones made his international debut against South Africa in 2004 and now has a total of 34 caps to his name, with 19 of them already coming as captain.

Elsewhere in the Welsh line up, coach Warren Gatland makes just one change from the side that comfortably defeated Argentina last time out.

Former Scarlets scrum-half Dwayne Peel comes in for Gareth Cooper, with the Blues No9 dropping out of the matchday squad all together.

Cooper will still have the chance to face the Aussies, however, as he starts for the Blues against an Australian XV at the Cardiff City Stadium this evening.

Peel becomes the only non-Magners League player to start for Wales this autumn, with Gatland naming five Ospreys, five Blues, three Scarlets and Luke Chateris of the Dragons in his first XV.

Young Dragons flanker Dan Lydiate is again chosen among the replacements, a week after making his debut against the Pumas.

"We were pretty pleased with the performance against Argentina," said Gatland.

"We matched them up front, our defence held up well and we are starting to show a more clinical edge in attack.

"Dwayne comes into the side in a straight swap for Gareth, allowing two Welsh scrum-halves a shot at the Wallabies in the space of a week and ensuring both players have the chance to benefit from the experience.

"That decision is primarily about putting the interests of the player and of Welsh regional rugby first, but elsewhere we are looking for the same again from the bulk of the side who beat the 2007 World Cup semi-finalists.

"There is still improvement left in us and we feel we need to go up a couple more gears if we are to achieve what we want against Australia, but we are coming to the end of the Series and the players feel they are starting to get into their stride.

"The level of performance is improving throughout the squad as we spend more and more time together and we hope to get a little nearer the peak of our powers at the weekend."

Wales (vs Australia, Millennium Stadium, Saturday, November 28, kick off 5.15pm)

James Hook (Ospreys), Leigh Halfpenny, Jamie Roberts (Both Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Shane Williams (Ospreys), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Dwayne Peel (Sale Sharks); Gethin Jenkins (Blues), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Paul James, Alun-Wyn Jones (Both Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Dragons), Andy Powell, Martyn Williams (Both Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys, captain)

Replacements: Huw Bennett, Duncan Jones, Jonathan Thomas (all Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Dragons), Martin Roberts (Scarlets), Andrew Bishop (Ospreys), Tom James (Blues)
Latest News
Latest Results & Fixtures
Date Home
Away
05/03Scarlets25 - 8Ulster
05/03Connacht19 - 19Warriors
06/03Dragons31 - 22Munster
07/03Edinburgh33 - 17Ospreys
07/03Blues20 - 29Leinster
17/03Connacht  v  Dragons
18/03Leinster  v  Warriors
18/03Munster  v  Scarlets
19/03UlsterP - POspreys
26/03Blues  v  Ulster
How They Stand

Team
Pld
Pts
LeinsterLeinster1134
EdinburghEdinburgh1334
OspreysOspreys1233
Glasgow WarriorsWarriors1233
MunsterMunster1230
Newport Gwent DragonsDragons1229
Ulster RugbyUlster1225
Cardiff BluesBlues1323
ScarletsScarlets1221
Connacht RugbyConnacht1112
Most Tries
Tim Visser6
Aled Brew5
Simon Danielli5
Top Points
Dan Parks138
Chris Paterson115
Ben Blair107
Share this page
ADD TO ASKAskShare this page
ADD TO DEL.ICIO.USDel.icio.usShare this page
ADD TO DIGGDiggShare this page
ADD TO FACEBOOKFacebookShare this page
ADD TO FURLFurlShare this page
ADD TO GOOGLEGoogleShare this page
ADD TO MAGNOLIAMagnoliaShare this page
ADD TO NETSCAPENetscapeShare this page
ADD TO NEWSVINENewsvineShare this page
ADD TO RAWSUGARRawsugarShare this page
ADD TO REDDITRedditShare this page
ADD TO SPURLSpurlShare this page
ADD TO SQUIDOOSquidooShare this page
ADD TO STUMBLEUPONStumbleUponShare this page
ADD TO TAGTOOGATagtoogaShare this page
ADD TO TECHNORATI FAVORITESTechnoratiShare this page
ADD TO YAHOO MYWEBYahooShare this page
ADD TO WINDOWS LIVEWindows LiveShare this page
ADD TO TWITTERTwitterShare this page
All images © http://www.inpho.ie/, Huw Evans Agency and Graham Stuart
© 2010 © Copyright 2009 Magners League Legal notice delivered by Sotic powered by RedDot Web Content Management