Hansen's mission for Shanklin
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Your support makes all the difference.The Great Redeemer, Graham Henry, may have left Wales, but redemption is apparently still in the order of service. Steve Hansen, Henry's temporary successor, last night named a 23-man squad for the Six Nations match against France at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff at the weekend.
And remarkably, given how many heads were originally called for following the humiliating defeat against Ireland, the party shows only one unforced change to the personnel who were involved in the débâcle in Dublin nine days ago.
The explanation from Alan Phillips, the Wales manager, was fairly straightforward. "Steve did not want to tinker with the squad too much," he said. "And the chances are there for players to redeem themselves following the opening defeat against Ireland."
The injury to Cardiff's centre, Jamie Robinson, means a call-up to the squad for Tom Shanklin, and with the rugby league convert, Iestyn Harris, expected to be on the bench it also presents the Saracens centre with the opportunity to make his Six Nations debut and add to the one cap he picked up in the second Test on tour in Japan last summer. On that occasion he played on the wing and scored two tries in Wales's 53-30 victory.
Shanklin, the son of the former Wales and London Welsh threequarter Jim, is something of a walking miracle. A year ago he suffered a bang on a leg, which threw off a blood clot and the 22-year-old came very close to losing the leg. If he does make the starting line-up Shanklin will be at inside centre with Newport's Andy Marinos outside him.
Wales's other injury problems revolve around their lock, Chris Wyatt. Phillips said: "Chris Wyatt is recovering quickly from the ankle injury that forced him off early in Dublin, but he has only a 50-50 chance of being fit by Saturday." Hansen has drafted in Swansea's Andy Moore – the 23rd man – as cover.
Brett Sinkinson, the Neath flanker, is the only player to be omitted on form. Bath's Gavin Thomas is expected to come in on the bench, he would have been joined on the side by his club-mate Gareth Cooper until the scrum-half turned an ankle against Harlequins, so Dwayne Peel will continue to understudy Rob Howley.
Wales can take heart that their opponents have been hit by a spate of injuries. The hooker Yannick Bru (thigh) yesterday joined the captain and scrum-half, Fabien Galthié, the No 8 Elvis Vermeulen, and the Narbonne prop, Jean-Baptiste Poux, on the sidelines.
In addition, there are doubts over the fly-half Frédéric Michalak who has a shoulder injury, while the flanker Olivier Magne is under suspension for stamping on Italy's Denis Dallan in the opening match.
Raphael Ibañez is set to replace Bru, Pierre Mignoni will start at scrum-half in place of Galthie, Olivier Milloud will replace Poux and Alexandre Albouy is on stand-by to replace Michalak. The France coach, Bernard Laporte, is expected to make Ibañez captain.
WALES SQUAD (Six Nations Match v France, Cardiff, Saturday): Backs: K Morgan (Swansea), R Williams (Cardiff), D James (Bridgend), C Morgan (Cardiff), T Shanklin (Saracens), A Marinos (Newport), I Harris (Cardiff), S Jones (Llanelli), R Howley (Cardiff), D Peel (Llanelli). Forwards - S John (Cardiff), C Anthony (Newport), D Jones (Neath), R McBryde (Llanelli), B Williams (Neath), C Quinnell (Cardiff), C Wyatt (Llanelli), A Moore (Swansea), I Gough (Newport), N Budgett (Bridgend), M Williams (Cardiff), G Thomas (Bath), S Quinnell (Llanelli, capt).
* Rudi Straeuli, the former Bedford coach, yesterday applied to become the new coach of South Africa. The Springbok post became vacant when Harry Viljoen resigned on 19 January.
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