Ruddock Leaves Wales Intact

Wales will be unchanged for Saturday’s potential Six Nations title decider with Ireland, after coach Mike Ruddock confirmed his matchday 22 this afternoon.

The former Leinster and Ireland ‘A’ coach received a major boost as winger Rhys Williams (calf) and hooker Mefin Davies (leg) were declared fit – with Ruddock able to name the same starting line-up for the first time in the Championship.

There could be a switch in the replacements from last weekend’s 46-22 defeat of Scotland, with reserve scrum-half Gareth Cooper still to shake off an ankle niggle, so the Scarlets’ Mike Phillips is on standby.

“We are changing nothing,” confirmed Ruddock. “The side is the same and our preparation is exactly the same and we are sticking with what has worked so well for us so far.

“This Welsh team has special qualities, we are confident in the way we play and we give ourselves a license to express ourselves no matter who the opposition are.

“The Irish are the current Triple Crown holders and they have the experience with nearly 900 caps between them. But we will stick to our game plan, be bold, be expressive and take the opposition on in the same way we have done throughout the Championship,” added the former international back row.

Number 8 Michael Owen captains the Welsh for the first time on home soil, with Cardiff lock Robert Sidoli set for his 25th cap.

His Blues team mate Martyn Williams – already with three tries to his name in the tournament – is Wales’ most-capped player with 53 appearances.

SIX NATIONS: Saturday, March 19
Wales v Ireland, Millennium Stadium, 3.30pm

WALES:

(15) Kevin Morgan (Dragons)
(14) Rhys Williams (Blues)
(13) Tom Shanklin (Blues)
(12) Gavin Henson (Ospreys)
(11) Shane Williams (Ospreys)
(10) Stephen Jones (Clermont Auvergne)
(9) Dwayne Peel (Scarlets)

(1) Gethin Jenkins (Blues)
(2) Mefin Davies (Gloucester)
(3) Adam Jones (Ospreys)
(4) Brent Cockbain (Ospreys)
(5) Robert Sidoli (Blues)
(6) Ryan Jones (Ospreys)
(7) Martyn Williams (Blues)
(8) Michael Owen (Dragons) (Capt)

Replacements:

(16) Robin McBryde (Scarlets)
(17) John Yapp (Blues)
(18) Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys)
(19) Robin Sowden-Taylor (Blues)
(20) Michael Phillips (Scarlets) or Gareth Cooper (Dragons)
(21) Ceri Sweeney (Dragons)
(22) Hal Luscombe (Dragons)

IRELAND:

(15) Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
(14) Girvan Dempsey (Leinster – Terenure College)
(13) Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster – Blackrock College) (Capt)
(12) Kevin Maggs (Ulster – Belfast Harlequins)
(11) Denis Hickie (Leinster – St Mary’s College)
(10) Ronan O’Gara (Munster – Cork Constitution)
(9) Peter Stringer (Munster – Shannon)
(1) Reggie Corrigan (Leinster – Greystones)
(2) Shane Byrne (Leinster – Blackrock College)
(3) John Hayes (Munster – Bruff)
(4) Malcolm O’Kelly (Leinster – St Mary’s College)
(5) Paul O’Connell (Munster – Young Munster)
(6) Simon Easterby (Scarlets)
(7) Johnny O’Connor (Wasps)
(8) Anthony Foley (Munster – Shannon)

Replacements:

(16) Frankie Sheahan (Munster – Cork Constitution)
(17) Marcus Horan (Munster – Shannon)
(18) Donncha O’Callaghan (Munster – Cork Constitution)
(19) Eric Miller (Leinster – Terenure College)
(20) Guy Easterby (Leinster – Blackrock College)
(21) David Humphreys (Ulster – Dungannon)
(22) Gavin Duffy (NEC Harlequins)

Referee: Chris White (England)
Touch judges: Joel Jutge (France), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Television match official: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)