Bell looks forward to rematch with Gibbs

Perched on a table in the medical room under the West Stand, Jonathan Bell monitored Ireland's progress in their opening Five Nations Championship match against France at Lansdowne Road last Saturday week. Earlier he had been assisted from the pitch with a neck injury and could only watch in frustration as a coveted victory slipped from Ireland's grasp.

"It was terrible, we deserved to win. The guys played very well, we played the better rugby and I think that had the French lost they would have held up their hands and admitted that we were the better side. From a personal point of view the injury just made matters worse.

"It happened quite early in the match and while I tried to play on I had a responsibility to my team-mates." Fortunately he has managed to overcome the problem and will resume his midfield partnership with Kevin Maggs against Wales at Wembley on Saturday.

There he will once again face Scott Gibbs, a player against whom he has enjoyed several duels. "Scott is one of the best centres in the world, a fantastic player and I'm looking forward to playing against him. He's very powerful, takes the ball up well and is an excellent defender. He brings a solidity to the Welsh midfield."

Under new coach Graham Henry, Gibbs is a pivotal figure, standing flat to take ball from scrum-half Robert Howley and offering a target for the Welsh back row. He is the fulcrum about which many of the Welsh attacking gambits revolve. "He's definitely a key player for them. The 8, 9, 10, 12 axis is probably the strongest part of their team and something we have identified. While not totally focusing on one player, I will be trying to limit his space. It's going to be an interesting confrontation."

The performance of the Irish backline against France has served to dilute criticism of an inability to use the ball constructively behind the scrum. "I think we demonstrated that we are able to move the ball, there is plenty of talent there. It's been easier for people to focus on our defence because that has improved with every match.

"We didn't give Andre Snyman and Percy Montgomery too much space in the South African match and I thought we defended very well against France. But the key to the backline playing well in a rounded sense is that the management has instilled a confidence, they have removed the fear factor with regard to making mistakes.

"Space is at a premium in the modern game but if you are not prepared to try and fail then you will never achieve anything. Mistakes are going to be made in 80 minutes of rugby. I would rather try 10 things with five not coming off then rely on one move during a game."