Jones to lead Wales into Fiji battle

Ryan Jones returns to captain Wales against Fiji on Friday night at the Millennium Stadium, one of ten Ospreys in the starting line-up.

 

In the backs Dan Biggar and Andrew Bishop are called in to the side, along with James Hook and Lee Byrne, while up front it's an all Ospreys front row with Huw Bennett taking up hooker duties alongside Paul James and Adam Jones.

In the second row Ian Gough gets his first start of the autumn series, while Jonathan Thomas is retained in the back row alongside returning captain and fellow Osprey Jones.

There are a further two Ospreys on the bench, with Richard Hibbard and Mike Phillips named as replacements.

Dragons back row Dan Lydiate faces a fitness race to replace veteran Blues flanker Martyn Williams. If Lydiate returns from ankle trouble in time Williams will sit out the Fiji match, but should the Dragon fail fitness testing this week Williams will win his 98th cap for Wales.


"We must maintain our focus this week, if we even cast an eye beyond Fiji on Friday night, to the World Cup or even just to the game a week later we could be left counting the cost," said Gatland.


"We know all too well that the Fijians bring an extra dimension to their game when they face Wales and there is no doubt they will have targeted us this weekend as a game think they can win.


"We have been self critical this week about our failure to close out matches when the finishing line may be in sight, no less than was evident against South Africa on Saturday.


"We need to be ruthless against Fiji and, with a few changes made to the starting line-up, more organised than ever.


"A couple of players, like Richie Rees and Huw Bennett get their chance to show what they can do from the start of a game rather than off the bench.


"And on the bench too we have a wealth of experience to call upon, should we need it, alongside a young man originally from Tonga who now qualifies for Wales who, at just 19, is alread quite a prospect.


"We are giving Dan (Lydiate)'s ankle injury time to settle down and are looking for him to start in a young back row, if he doesn't make it Martyn (Williams) will come straight, but we are fairly relaxed about which way that falls and are blessed to be able to switch and change in that area if necessary to minimum impact."


WALES: Lee Byrne; George North, James Hook, Andrew Bishop, Aled Brew; Dan Biggar, Richie Rees; Paul James, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Ian Gough, Deiniol Jones, Ryan Jones (captain), Dan Lydiate/Martyn Williams, Jonathan Thomas


REPLACEMENTS: Richard Hibbard, John Yapp, Bradley Davies, Toby Faletau, Mike Phillips, Stephen Jones, Tom Shanklin

WALES

15 Lee BYRNE (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,041)

DoB: 01.06.80. 6'3" / 1.91m. 15st 1lb / 96kgs

International record: 36 caps (W 14, L 21, D 1; 40 pts - 8T)



14 George NORTH (SCARLETS - Cap No 1,078)

DoB: 13.04.92. 6'4" / 1.92m. 16st 5lbs / 104kgs

International record: 1 cap (L 1; 10 pts - 2T)



13 James HOOK (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,047)

DoB: 27.06.85. 6'0" / 1.83m. 14st 7lbs / 92kgs

International record: 45 caps (W 18, L 26, D 1; 237 pts - 11T, 34C, 35PG, 3DG)



12 Andrew BISHOP (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,059)

DoB: 07.08.85. 6'0" / 1.83m. 14st 10lbs / 93kgs

International record: 13 caps (W 7, L 6)



11 Aled BREW (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS - Cap No 1,051)

DoB: 09.08.86. 6.0" / 1.83m. 15st 2lbs / 96kgs

International record: 3 caps (L 3)



10 Dan BIGGAR (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,063)

DoB: 16.10.89. 6'2" / 1.88m. 14st 3lbs / 90kgs

International record: 7 caps (W 4, L 3; 46 pts - 8C, 10PG)



9 Richard REES (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,072)

DoB: 21.05.83. 5'11" / 1.80m. 12st 8lb / 79kgs

International record: 7 caps (W 1, L 6; 5 pts - 1T)



1 Paul JAMES (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,021)

DoB: 13.05.82. 6'1" / 1.86m. 18st 13lbs / 120kgs

International record: 15 caps (W 5, L 10)



2 Huw BENNETT (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,017)

DoB: 11.06.83. 6'0" / 1.83m. 16st 4lbs / 103kgs

International record: 36 caps (W 18, L 18)



3 Adam Rhys JONES (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,018)

DoB: 08.03.81. 6'0" / 1.83m. 18st 10lb / 119kgs

International record: 66 caps (W 31, L 33, D 2; 10 pts - 2T)



4 Ian GOUGH (OSPREYS - Cap No 964)

DoB: 10.11.76. 6' 6" / 1.98m. 18st 1lb / 115kgs

International record: 63 caps (W 30, L 30, D 3; 5 pts - 1T)



5 Deiniol JONES (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 981)

DoB: 18.11.77. 6'5" 1.96m. 17st 3lbs / 109kgs

International record: 12 caps (W 6, L 6)



6 Ryan JONES (OSPREYS, CAPTAIN - Cap No 1,029)

DoB: 13.03.81. 6'5" / 1.96m. 17st 3lbs / 109kgs

International record: 44 caps (W 23, L 20, D 1; 5 pts - 1T)



7 Dan LYDIATE (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS - Cap No 1,071)

DoB: 18.12.87. 1.93m / 6'4". 17st 4lbs / 110kgs

International record: 3 caps (W 1, L 2)

OR

Martyn WILLIAMS (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 944)

DoB: 01.09.75. 6'0" / 1.83m. 14st 22lbs / 94kgs

International record: 97 caps (W 42, L 52, D 3; 73 pts - 14T, 1DG)



8 Jonathan THOMAS (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,013)

DoB: 27.12.82. 6'5" / 1.96m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs

International record: 60 caps (W 27, L 31, D 2; 35 pts - 7T)



REPLACEMENTS



16 Richard HIBBARD (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,048)

DoB: 13.12.83. 6'0" / 1.83m. 17st 12lbs / 113kgs

International record: 9 caps (W 3, L 6)



17 John YAPP (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,031)

DoB: 09.04.83. 6'2" / 1.88m. 18st 12lbs / 120kgs

International record: 17 caps (W 12, L 5)



18 Bradley DAVIES (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,065)

DoB: 09.01.87. 6'6" / 1.98m. 18st 12lbs / 120kgs

International record: 15 caps (W 6, L 9)



19 Toby FALETAU (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS)

DoB: 12.11.90. 1.88m / 6'2". 17st 0lbs / 108kgs

International record: Uncapped



20 Michael PHILLIPS (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,022)

DoB: 29.08.82. 6'3" / 1.91m. 16st 0lb / 101kgs

International record: 44 caps (W 21, L 22, D 1; 20 pts - 4T)



21 Stephen JONES (SCARLETS - Cap No 966)

DoB: 08.12.77. 6'1" / 1.86m. 14st 7lbs / 92kgs

International record: 93 caps (W 39, L52, D2; 834 pts - 7T, 134C, 171PG, 6DG)



22 Tom SHANKLIN (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 993)

DoB: 24.11.79. 6'2" / 1.88m. 15st 9lbs / 99kgs

International record: 68 caps (W 32, L 35, D 1; 100 pts - 20T)