News article – Style E 1279

Iestyn Harris has been dropped by new Welsh coach Steve Hansen (pictured) with Tom Shanklin preferred as centre partner for Andy Marinos ahead of Saturday’s international at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff (2 pm).

Wales will face a French side that is ravaged by injury and is also without the suspended Olivier Magne. In total there are six changes, five of them through injury, from the side that beat Italy while coach Bernard Laporte has refused to consider either David Auradou, because he was yellow carded against the Italians, and left Fabien Pelous on the bench after a sin-binning in a club game last weekend. In the absence of the injured Yannick Bru, Castres hooker Raphael Ibaqez will captain France.

Wales: Kevin Morgan (Swansea); Dafydd James (Bridgend), Tom Shanklin (Saracens), Andy Marinos (Newport), Craig Morgan (Cardiff); Stephen Jones (Llanelli), Rob Howley (Cardiff); Spencer John (Cardiff). Robin McBryde (Llanelli), Chris Anthony (Newport); Craig Quinnell (Cardiff), Andy Moore (Swansea); Nathan Budgett (Bridgend), Martyn Williams (Cardiff ), Scott Quinnell capt (Llanelli).
Replacements: Barry Williams (Neath), Duncan Jones (Neath), Ian Gough (Newport), Gavin Thomas (Bath), Dwayne Peel (Llanelli), Iestyn Harris, Rhys Williams (Cardiff).

France. Nicolas Brusque (Biarritz); Aurilien Rougerie (Montferrand), Damien Traille (Pau), Tony Marsh (Montferrand), Xavier Garbajosa (Stade Toulousain); Girald Merceron (Montferrand), Pierre Mignoni (Biziers); Jean-Jacques Crenca (Agen), Raphakl Ibaqez capt (Castres) Pieter de Villiers (Stade Frangais); Thibault Privat (Biziers), Olivier Brouzet (Northampton); Serge Betsen (Biarritz), Steven Hall (Biziers), Imanol Harinordoquy (Pau).
Replacements: Olivier Milloud (Bourgoin), Sibastien Bruno (Biziers), Alexandre Audebert (Montferrand), Fabien Pelous (Stade Toulousain), Alexandre Albouy (Castres), Frangois Gelez (Agen), Jimmy Marlu (Montferrand).