Hansen Wields The Axe

Walescoach Steve Hansen has made five changes and two positional switches for tomorrow’s RBS Six Nations clash with Ireland in Cardiff.

Walescoach Steve Hansen has made five changes and two positional switches for tomorrow’s RBS Six Nations clash with Ireland in Cardiff. Former captain Colin Charvis returns to the starting line-up, along with hooker Jonathan Humphreys, who led the side against England last month and has now recovered from a shoulder injury that forced him to miss the 30-22 defeat in Scotland. Humphreys will again lead the side taking over that duty from flanker Martyn Williams.

Charvis will play at blindside flanker, with Llanelli’s Dafydd Jones moving to No 8 at the expense of Bath’s Gavin Thomas.

Humphreys replaces Bridgend’s Gareth Williams, while another front-row alteration sees Pontypridd prop Gethin Jenkins preferred to Swansea tighthead Ben Evans.

Evans is dropped from the match-day squad of 22, with Llanelli’s Martyn Madden named on the bench.

In the second row, Gareth Llewellyn is set to win his 74th cap when he makes his first start of the current Six Nations campaign in place of Steve Williams.

In the backs, Kevin Morgan is ruled out with a serious knee injury which means that Rhys Williams moves from right-wing to full-back and Mark Jones is recalled after missing Wales’ defeats against England and Scotland.

Wales. R Williams (Cardiff); M Jones (Llanelli), M Taylor (Swansea), T Shanklin (Saracens), G Thomas (Bridgend), S Jones (Llanelli), G Cooper (Bath); I Thomas (Llanelli), J Humphreys capt (Bath), G Jenkins (Pontypridd); R Sidoli (Pontypridd), G Llewellyn (Neath); C Charvis (Swansea), M Williams (Cardiff), D Jones (Llanelli).
Replacements: M Davies (Pontypridd), M Madden (Llanelli), S Williams (Northampton), G Thomas (Bath), D Peel (Llanelli), I Harris (Cardiff), M Watkins (Llanelli).