Team Selection - Wales 22 to play Italy

by Brendan Cole

Warren Gatland has dropped a typical bombshell by making 10 changes in his team selection for Wales's next match against Italy. It has been a trademark since his Ireland days for Gatland to come out swinging under fire – to react rather than curl up under pressure - and this Italy selection does just that.

But this will test the selection theory that players are relatively similar - that there are very few 'supermen' - and that motivation, context and coaching can make all the difference.

Gatland himself said: "We have made changes, but there are arguments to say we are stronger in certain positions. If I was playing against Italy I would be excited about both the opportunity which presents itself and, looking around me, about the team which has been selected."

Two intentions can be detected in looking at the 1-15 selection.

First, it's a team built to score points, with key try-scorers Lee Byrne and Shane Williams retained in the back three and fast and loose fly-half James Hook at out-half with the quick service of Dwayne Peel at nine. The centre pairing – Gavin Henson alongside Jamie Roberts – looks better balanced though Henson has been excluded over injury thus far.

Martyn Williams - Does Not Travel

The only surprise in that respect is that Martyn Williams, who has long been seen as a key to Wales's attacking game, does not even travel but Williams has not been having the same impact on Wales's attacking play this year as he did in 2008.

Peel and Henson give Wales an ability to go wide quickly and though Ireland didn't succeed with a similar strategy in their first half against the Italians, Gatland looks as though he is prepared to have a go.

Second, this is a team selection that will shake up Gatland's squad mentally ahead of the Ireland match. Wales dropped their intensity 10 minutes into the second half against France in their Friday night defeat and never recovered the initiative. To me, this 22 sends a message to certain of those who lined up in Paris last week that they blew it.

To Gatland's credit, this is a team that could either blow up in his face or succeed in making the points difference race between Wales and Ireland that much closer.

It also smacks of throwing down the gauntlet to Italy, and to Ireland, who will name their team to face Scotland on Monday.

Well done Warren.

Wales: L Byrne (Ospreys); M Jones (Scarlets), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), G Henson (Ospreys), S Williams (Ospreys); J Hook (Ospreys), D Peel (Sale Sharks); J Yapp (Cardiff Blues), H Bennett (Ospreys), R Thomas (Newport Gwent Dragons), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), A-W Jones (Ospreys, capt), J Thomas (Ospreys), D Jones (Scarlets), A Powell (Cardiff Blues).

Replacements: M Rees (Scarlets), G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), R Jones (Ospreys), M Phillips (Ospreys), S Jones (Scarlets), T Shanklin (Cardiff Blues).