Gerry Thornley

Welsh coach Steve Hansen recalled the few old warriors left at his disposal in predictably shoring up his pointless side with five changes in personnel for Saturday's RBS Six Nations encounter against Ireland at the Millennium Stadium.

Wales desperately need a win, any kind of win, in this penultimate outing if they are to have any hope of avoiding a whitewash given their last port of call is Paris.

As expected, Jonathan Humphreys returns to captain the side in the middle of the front row, while two former captains, Gareth Llewellyn and Colin Charvis, have been recalled to the exclusion of Steve Williams and Gareth Thomas.

The latter hasn't even made the bench, like another distinct under-achiever, tight-head Ben Evans, who has been replaced by 22-year-old Gethin Jenkins.

Dafydd Jones switches to number eight while Rhys Williams reverts to full back in the absence of the injured Kevin Morgan, with Mark Jones recalled to the wing.

The selection of Jenkins, hitherto an out-and-out loose-head, is something of a gamble - waged on brute force rather than technique - and is perhaps more a statement on Evans's form to date, as well as the condition of Martyn Madden, who only returned from six weeks' absence last weekend.

"Gethin has not had a lot of experience at tight-head," conceded Hansen yesterday, "but his performance two weeks ago warrants him getting a start.

"We'll learn more about his ability when he starts there on Saturday. The videotape of the Scotland game tells us he handled the job well."

Similar hopeful rather than confident noises backed Hansen's other changes, which sees Llwellyn - Wales's second most capped player - win his 74th cap, while Charvis hopes to rehabilitate his Test career after stinging criticism of his performances.

The Welsh coach reckoned that the 3 to 1 odds on Wales were a good bet in a two-horse race, and at first seemed to be damning Ireland with faint praise.

"Ireland have done very well out of a team of good tradesmen. They've got one or two world-class players, but the majority are good tradesmen. They've been together over a long period of time and gelled together as a team. They play with a lot of commitment and aggression. They're a role model for a lot of sides."

It was clear, however, that Hansen envies where Ireland are at now compared to Wales. "They've gone through a period of being criticised for being a poor side, but they've got better and better. This is a complete team - that's one of their great strengths. They work their butts off for each other. Their forwards work really hard together as a pack," he said.

WALES (v Ireland): Rhys Williams (Cardiff); Mark Jones (Llanelli), Mark Taylor (Swansea), T Shanklin (Saracens), Gareth Thomas (Bridgend); Stephen Jones (Llanelli), Gareth Cooper (Bath); Iestyn Thomas (Llanelli), Jonathan Humphreys (Bath, capt), Gethin Jenkins (Pontypridd), Gareth Llewellyn (Neath), Robert Sidoli (Ponypridd), Colin Charvis (Swansea), Dafydd Jones (Llanelli), Martyn Williams (Cardiff). Replacements: Mefin Davies (Pontypridd), Martyn Madden (Llanelli), Steve Williams (Northampton), Gavin Thomas (Bath), Dwayne Peel (Llanelli), Iestyn Harris (Cardiff), Matthew Watkins (Llanelli).