RUGBY:WALES ARE becoming increasingly resigned to losing their captain, Matthew Rees, for the World Cup. The 2009 Lions hooker last week had injections to cure a nerve problem in his neck, but he remains in pain and will probably need an operation.
Rees will again be watching when Wales face England at the Millennium Stadium tomorrow and the captain’s prospects of playing in the final warm-up match, against Argentina next week, appear remote.
The centre Gavin Henson is one of four changes from the side that lost by four points at Twickenham last Saturday. The Wales coach, Warren Gatland, said that Rees had less than a 50 per cent chance of making it to the World Cup.
“Matthew is still in a lot of pain,” he said. “He might need an operation sooner rather than later and we will have to sit down and discuss things with him.”
Gatland said that he was prepared to take one injured player to New Zealand. The prop Gethin Jenkins has yet to play since toe surgery at the start of the year and he has picked up a calf injury in training, as has the number eight Ryan Jones.
Even though a number of experienced players, such as Adam Jones and Lee Byrne, were available for selection after recovering from injuries, Gatland has opted for continuity ahead of experience.
Rhys Priestland remains at out-half, with the returning James Hook chosen at fullback, while Lloyd Burns, a hooker who was working as a bricklayer a year ago, starts his first international and Luke Charteris replaces Bradley Davies in the second row.
Gatland said: “If we are to be serious contenders at the World Cup, we need to send out a message to other nations, and to referees, that we are good enough to beat the likes of England.”
Asked about Henson’s prospects of making the World Cup squad, Gatland said: “Gavin got it spot on this week when he said that he needed to have a good performance. There is a lot of competition in the midfield.”
Jamie Roberts will move to outside-centre to accommodate Henson. When the Welsh Rugby Union used Henson at the start of last season, when he was taking time out from the game, to promote the new Wales kit, Roberts was among the players who protested against the decision.
“Gavin has been out of the game for a while but he has come back in and trained well,” Roberts said yesterday. “He will be looking to prove to people that he can perform on the international stage. I will be helping him try to do that.”
Mike Tindall returns to the England team as captain and one of 13 changes for the match in Cardiff.
Tindall missed last week’s 23-19 victory over the Welsh at Twickenham following his marriage to the British Queen’s grand-daughter Zara Phillips.
He watched from the stands as 20-year-old Manu Tuilagi enjoyed a try-scoring debut in his place at outside centre.
GuardianService
