Six Nations: James Hook in as Warren Gatland reshuffles Wales

James Hook is set to start at full-back for Wales

Wales coach Warren Gatland is set to reshuffle the deck for their Six Nations opener with England on Friday, after further injury has left them without important winger Leigh Halfpenny.

Gatland could ask regular full-back Lee Byrne to fill in for Halfpenny, who sustained an ankle injury in training on Monday, and therefore it is thought Osprey’s star James Hook will make an appearance at full-back, a position in which he has impressed before for his country.

Halfpenny’s injury will come as a big blow to Wales, with the winger in superb club form as of late, and joins Gethin Jenkins (toe), Adam Jones (elbow), Tom Shanklin (knee), Andrew Bishop (knee) and Richie Rees (suspended) on the sidelines.

Experienced scrum-half Mike Phillips is also set to start in his favoured position and England starlet Ben Youngs has told his opposite number he knows exactly what to expect from him. Youngs told ESPN: “He'll probably try to push me around, be physical with me and have a bit of sledging around the scrum. My focus, as someone new, is just to get on with my play, whereas he'll have time for a few digs as well.”

But Wales flanker Sam Warburton has joined the chorus declaring his country as serious contenders for the Six Nations Championship. He told the South Wales Echo: “If teams think we are going to be a soft touch, it will be happy days for us.

“We can achieve good things in this Six Nations, but it will depend on the first game. If we win, it will give us confidence and momentum and get the ball rolling.”

Ireland will hand winger Fergus McFadden his international debut in their opener against Italy on Saturday and his club team mate Mike Ross will get his first Six Nations start. McFadden will play in a new back three combination with Keith Earls on the left wing and Luke Fitzgerald at full-back for the first time.

Johnnie Beattie, though, will miss Scotland’s first match with France after coach Andy Robinson has decided he isn’t yet strong enough following shoulder surgery. The Glasgow Warriors No.8 has been layed-off for six-months after the operation but could still feature later-on in the Six Nations campaign.

Lyall Thomas

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