Rugby:Outhalf Rhys Priestland has lost his fitness battle for Wales' World Cup semi-final clash against France at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday after failing to recover from a shoulder injury he picked up in the victory over Ireland last weekend.
The Scarlets playmaker was forced off with three minutes to go in the quarter-final clash in Wellington and will be replaced by James Hook, with Wales coach Warren Gatland otherwise retaining the team that accounted for Ireland. One change on the bench sees 102 times-capped Stephen Jones taking over from Hook.
Priestland was not considered for selection and he will now continue his rehabilitation over the next few days. Wales face either a World Cup final or third-place play-off appearance next week.
“Time was against Rhys,” Gatland said. “But we are happy that we have the talent and ability elsewhere in the squad to cover him.
“Rhys has done everything we have asked of him, and more, during this World Cup, but when we have players of the calibre and experience of James Hook and Stephen Jones coming into the squad and starting line-up, there is no sense that Rhys’s absence leaves us any weaker.”
Wales have reached their first World Cup semi-final since 1987, and they possess several of the tournament’s form players, including wing George North, centre Jamie Roberts, scrumhalf Mike Phillips, skipper Sam Warburton and number eight Toby Faletau.
Gatland added: “We know that the people in Wales and the fans that have travelled here are excited about reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup, and we are too, but beating France on Saturday must be, and will be, our sole focus.
“The time to reflect and to celebrate will come if we win our next two matches. Until that happens, our focus on the task ahead must be absolute.”
Wales have lost nine of their last 11 games against France, while their only victory over them since 2005 came during a Six Nations title and Grand Slam-winning campaign three years ago which was Gatland’s first at the helm.
WALES (v France):L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); G North (Scarlets), J Davies (Scarlets), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Ospreys); J Hook (Perpignan), M Phillips (Bayonne); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), H Bennett (Ospreys), A Jones (Ospreys), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), A-W Jones (Ospreys), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Replacements:L Burns (Newport Gwent Dragons), P James (Ospreys), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), R Jones (Ospreys), L Williams (Cardiff Blues), S Jones (Scarlets), S Williams (Scarlets).
