Andrew Coombs: Set for Test debut
Dragons lock Andrew Coombs will make his Test debut when Wales host Ireland in their Six Nations clash in Cardiff on Saturday.
Coombs, who will pack down alongside Ian Evans in the second row, owes his selection due to the unavailability of injured trio Alun-Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris and Bradley Davies.
Harlequins lock Olly Kohn is also set to make his first international appearance after being named amongst the replacements.
Wales' caretaker coach Rob Howley said Coombs' selection is a reward for his fine form for the Dragons.
"It's a great opportunity for Andrew, who has been performing well at regional level, to show what he can do on this stage," Howley said.
"As a squad, we have worked hard over the past two weeks and go into Saturday excited and confident at defending our title.
"The Six Nations is all about momentum, and we know we have to hit the ground running against Ireland."
Howley has also brought in tighthead prop Adam Jones to the run-on side, after he missed Wales' end-of-year internationals because of a knee injury.
Jones is reunited in the front-row with fellow British & Irish Lions Matthew Rees and Gethin Jenkins.
Howley has resisted the temptation to to field two openside flankers - captain Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric - with aaron Shingler joining Warburton on the flank.
Amongst the backs, Dan Biggar is preffered to James Hook at fly-half but there is no place in the squad for Biggar's Ospreys team-mate Eli Walker - who is ruled out by hamstring trouble.
Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 George North, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Toby Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton, 6 Aaron Shingler, 5 Ian Evans, 4 Andrew Coombs, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Matthew Rees, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Paul James, 18 Craig Mitchell, 19 Olly Kohn, 20 Justin Tipuric, 21 Loyd Williams, 22 James Hook, 23 Scott Williams.
Date: Saturday, 2 February
Venue: Millennium Stadium
Kick-off: 13:30 GMT
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa) and Pascal Gauzere (France)
Comments
jontheref says...
BMakka8
"I'd swap your Romain Poite for our Alain Rolland any day. At least your scrums will be reffed ok, rather than Rolland peanlising the stronger scrum when teh other side collapse it!
"
Sorry, it must be a different Poite than the one I know.I know the one who penalises the team stillon their feet, and gives the PK to the prop who is bog snorkling, as he dived!
he is also the guy who penalised Phillips twice for a crocked feed, when they were straighter than the oppositions feed!
I agree Rolland is flaky, but (apart from it being v Ireland), I'd rather him than Poite as a ref.
Posted 12:35 01st February 2013
Noshonmescrote says...
What a team.
Posted 03:31 01st February 2013
melkdave says...
I can honestly say not realy impressed with the selection,I expected Warburton to play ,but M.Rees and J.Roberts as well along with M.Phillips,all players imo,not at their best.Perhaps as @Jontheref says Wales have missed an oppotunity to shake things up a little ,and try something a bit different offense wise.So this weekend expecting Wales to bash it up in the centers and try to quickly spread it wide.While Ireland rush up to cut down any space for them to get a head of sream up.Slow ball from Phillips at the breakdown helping Ireland out alot on achiving it,and no dominance in the scrum ,what so ever,and a dogey lineout made worse by M.Rees kak handed throw insBackrow battle should be fairly even,but the irish ball carriers wil make ground ,and Sexton will kick to test the welsh lineout fairly early .Hopping its stillgoing to be a great game ,but atm ,think Ireland just have the edge
Posted 21:11 31st January 2013
rugbydaft says...
Conservative ...... Howley is not the man for the job
Well I hope I am wrong but in NZ you would not be picking players who have not performed in the regions and after such a poor run of performances
Wales need to dig deep and deliver
Posted 19:26 31st January 2013
rugbydaft says...
Conservative ...... Howley is not the man for the job
Well I hope I am wrong but in NZ you would not be picking players who have not performed in the regions and after such a poor run of performances
Wales need to dig deep and deliver
Posted 19:26 31st January 2013
BMakka8 says...
I'd swap your Romain Poite for our Alain Rolland any day. At least your scrums will be reffed ok, rather than Rolland peanlising the stronger scrum when teh other side collapse it!
Posted 18:43 31st January 2013
jamesliveinhope says...
looks like a pretty good side to me - query second row and half-backs but otherwise as good in terms of personnel as anything that took to the field last term.
Scrum going to be hugely important in the day - and question mark still over Howley's game head
Posted 16:58 31st January 2013
liam2me says...
Romain Poite will have this game ruined before it starts
Posted 16:44 31st January 2013
jontheref says...
Howley, is this another missed opportunity?
Too many conservative selections of players not in form.
I'll be supporting Wales, but with some trepidation, as Howley just does not see who to select.
Andrew coombs in the 2nd row, what did james King do wrong?
he has out shone Coombs with all due respect.
Good luck to the guy, I hope he proves me wrong and has a stormer!
Posted 16:31 31st January 2013
RugbyLocos says...
Rediculous that Lee Byrne does not make the matchday 22 - if not the first 15, with Halfpenny moving to the wing in place of North. I would personally have had Hook in at 10 also.
What we are going to get is another crash ball exhibition, which may be enough to scrape us a win on Saturday, but If the Irish play with speed and invention they could just take us apart.
Posted 16:25 31st January 2013
kennyisgay says...
Good enough to thrash the lady boys
Posted 15:56 31st January 2013
ramm83 says...
Really hope that Olly Khon gets a run out... The Sausage Monster is a legend!
Posted 15:37 31st January 2013
welshmac says...
Apart from the absence of 2nd rows and Lydiate, this is as good as it gets for Wales. I hope Biggar finally performs on the biggest stage.
Posted 15:23 31st January 2013
APV1 says...
@ FISH - if he ever gets the Armband, that'd be two Captain Wales's, eh?
Posted 14:50 31st January 2013
charlierex9 says...
Shingler swap with Tipuric and that is a solid team
Posted 14:48 31st January 2013
DaveJ says...
Roman Poite uuuuuuugggggggghhhhhhhhh.
Posted 14:27 31st January 2013
Taffster says...
As good as we were likely to see. I hope the boys can back themselves, play with confidence (not arrogance) and make a good game of it. We don't have the best record against the Irish at home, but hopefully the crowd will play their part too. Could be a cracker!
Posted 14:21 31st January 2013
FISH says...
kinda mediocre team, sad that welsh fans think they're so hot....how many times do they have to lose before they realise they're over hyped....
Posted 14:17 31st January 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
Hook and Williams on bench with no Lee Byrne?
Posted 14:03 31st January 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
Hook and Williams on bench with no
Posted 14:02 31st January 2013