RBS Six Nations – 87th cap for Llewellyn

Gareth Llewellyn is set to tie fly-half great
Neil Jenkins’s Welsh record of 87 Test appearances after being
selected for Saturday’s RBS Six Nations finale against Italy in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

The Neath-Swansea lock, a former Wales captain, replaced injured
Celtic
Warriors second-row Brent Cockbain during last Saturday’s 31-21
defeat against
world champions England at Twickenham.

Llewellyn, 35, now moves into the starting line-up after Cockbain
failed to
recover from an ankle sprain.

Departing Wales coach Steve Hansen, paying tribute to Llewellyn,
said:
“Gareth is one of the senior players in our squad and is
expected to be a
leader both on and off the field.

“He has done this with increasing success over the last two
years, he is
someone who has been a great asset to his country and will continue
to do so
long after chooses to retire, as I believe he will make a very good
coach.

“He has looked after himself through the years and has been a
valuable
source of experience to the youngsters in the squad, as well as
making his own
contributions through his performances.”

Llewellyn, who made his Test debut against New Zealand back in
1989 and has
scored five tries for Wales, is not the only change to the team that
took the
field at Twickenham.

Back-rowJonathan Thomas, who sustained thigh and shoulder
injuries has
been replaced by Cardiff’s Martyn Williams.

Wales captain Colin Charvis switches to blindside flanker to
accommodate
Williams on the open side.

In the backs Iestyn Harris and Tom Shanklin have been bracketed
together at
inside centre. Harris withdrew on the morning of the England game
because of a
knee injury, Shanklin taking his place.

Hansen, commenting on his midfield dilemma, said: “We will
make a decision
on who will fill the No 12 shirt later in the week. Whoever misses
out will be
unlucky as they have both been in good form.”

On the bench Celtic Warriors lock Robert Sidoli takes Llewellyns
place with
Leeds back-row Alix Popham filling the gap vacated by
Williams.

Saturday’s match will be Hansen’s final game in charge of Wales
before he
returns to his native New Zealand to become a member of Wales
predecessor
turned All Black coach Graham Henry’s staff.
His two years in charge have left him with a Six Nations record of
just two
wins from 13 games.
But this season both Wales and Italy have beaten Scotland, the
only team in
the tournament who have lost all four of their matches so far.

Wales:
Gareth Thomas (Celtic Warriors); Rhys Williams (Cardiff), Mark
Taylor
(Llanelli), Iestyn Harris (Cardiff) or Tom Shanklin (Cardiff), Shane
Williams
(Neath-Swansea); Stephen Jones (Llanelli), Gareth Cooper (Celtic
Warriors);
Dafydd Jones (Llanelli), Martyn Williams (Cardiff), Colin Charvis, capt (Tarbes ); Michael Owen (Dragons), Gareth Llewellyn (Neath-Swansea);
Gethin
Jenkins (Llanelli), Robin McBryde (Llanelli), Duncan Jones
(Neath-Swansea).
Replacements: Mefin Davies (Celtic Warriors), Ben Evans (Cardiff),
Robert
Sidoli (Celtic Warriors,), Alix Popham (Leeds), Dwayne Peel
(Llanelli),
Ceri Sweeney (Celtic Warriors), Iestyn Harris (Cardiff) or Tom
Shanklin
(Cardiff)

AFP – 2004.