WALES V ENGLAND at Millennium Stadium, 16.3.2013 (17:00)
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WALES v ENGLAND at Millennium Stadium, 16.3.2013 (17:00) Interim head coach Rob Howley makes three changes (one positional) for the visit of England. Fit again Gethin Jenkins returns at loosehead relegating Paul James to the bench. Jenkins leads the team in the absence of the injured Ryan Jones, with the flankers being reshuffled – Sam Warburton switching to 7 from 6 and Justin Tipuric coming in on the openside. The other change on the bench sees Aaron Shingler included for the first time since round two. This means that Howley has made no changes in the complete back division for the entire campaign, whilst Adam Jones, Ian Evans and Toby Faletau have been unchanged in the pack. The XV has 648 test caps between them; the bench has a further 172 caps. The average age of the walk-on team is 26.2 years; the average on the bench is 26. AGE & EXPERIENCE Total caps 100 6NC caps 40 90 Age 80 35 70 60 30 Caps 50 Age 40 25 30 20 20 10 0 15 Evans (5) Hook (22) Tipuric (7) Phillips (9) North (11) Faletau (8) Jenkins (1) Hibbard (2) Biggar (10) James (17) A.Jones (3) Owens (16) Roberts (12) Coombs (19) Shingler (20) J.Davies (13) Cuthbert (14) AW.Jones (4) Warburton (6) Andrews (18) L.Williams (21) S.Williams (23) Halfpenny (15) (1) GETHIN JENKINS(c) TEST CAREER Caps Starts Rep SNU Try Pts W D L Team: Toulon Overall 97 67 30 3 4 20 43 2 52 Born: 17.11.1980 (32) in Llantwit Fadre (Wales) RBS 6 Nations 43 29 14 1 1 5 25 1 17 Ht: 1.88m (6'2") Wt: 121kg (19st 0lb) v England 11 6 5 - - - 5 - 6 Position: Prop @ Millennium Std 51 36 15 2 3 15 23 2 26 FACTBOX: 6 Nations 2013 3 3 - - - - 2 - 1 Played for Treorchy and Pontypridd before spending one season, 2003/4, at Celtic Warriors. Switched to Cardiff Blues the following year. After 8 seasons there moved to Toulon, but has recently announced his return to Blues for 2013/14 Represented Wales U21 during the 2001 Six Nations, and made Wales A debut v Uruguay 2001 Wales test debut came against Romania in Wrexham in November 2002 and is now Wales's most capped front-row forward. Played 10 tests in a row until missing out injured against Scotland in round 4 Won Welsh Cup with Pontypridd 2002, and was a Parker Pen Shield finalist with them the same year Involved in Welsh matchday squad for every RBS 6 Nations game between 2003-09, including two Grand Slams, added another Grand Slam when making four appearances last year Two British & Irish Lions tours to New Zealand in 2005 and South Africa in 2009 playing in five tests until a cracked cheekbone in the 2nd test ended his tour Became Wales' 125th captain when he led the side against South Africa in 2007, led Wales for the first time in the RBS 6 Nations in the victory over Italy last year EDF Energy Cup winner with Cardiff Blues 2009, skippered Blues to European Challenge Cup title in 2010 Compiled by (2) RICHARD HIBBARD TEST CAREER Caps Starts Rep SNU Try Pts W D L Team: Ospreys Overall 22 8 14 5 1 5 11 - 11 Born: 13.12.1983 (29) in Neath (Wales) RBS 6 Nations 8 3 5 1 1 5 6 - 2 Ht: 1.83m (6'0") Wt: 110kg (17st 4lb) v England 1 - 1 1 - - - - 1 Position: Hooker @ Millennium Std 7 3 4 4 - - 4 - 3 FACTBOX: 6 Nations 2013 3 3 - - 1 5 3 - - Started playing rugby at age grade levels at clubs in Port Talbot, went on to play senior level for Taibach and Aberavon before moving on to Swansea Made his debut for Swansea against Pontypridd in April 2003, eventually playing 81 games for the club, scoring 13 tries Ospreys debut came against Munster in the opening game of 2004/5 season: he has since claimed 3 Celtic titles with the Region, 2005, 2007 & 2010; won EDF Energy Cup in 2008, and won PRO12 in 2012 Wales test debut came at the start of the two test tour to Argentina, summer of 2006, in Puerto Madryn First six test caps were all gained away from home RBS 6 Nations debut came off the bench v England 2011; was a replacement in all 5 games that campaign. Made his first start in the tournament in the 16-6 victory over France in round two this year Has played in over 100 PRO12 games for his region, Ospreys Scored his first test try in the RBS 6 Nations victory over Scotland at Murrayfield in round 4 (3) ADAM JONES TEST CAREER Caps Starts Rep SNU Try Pts W D L Team: Ospreys Overall 87 77 10 - 2 10 43 3 41 Born: 8.3.1981 (32) in Abercrave (Wales) RBS 6 Nations 38 36 2 - 2 10 24 1 13 Ht: 1.83m (6'0") Wt: 120kg (18st 12lb) v England 9 7 2 - 1 5 5 - 4 Position: Prop @ Millennium Std 43 36 7 - 1 5 23 3 17 FACTBOX: 6 Nations 2013 4 4 - - - - 3 - 1 Wales U21 at the 2002 Six Nations 2002 & finishing 3rd at the U21 World Championships that year in Johannesburg Senior rugby started with Neath in 2000, became an Osprey when region was formed - now in 10th season there First Wales cap v England in World Cup warm game up at Millennium Stadium in August 2003 His RBS 6 Nations debut was against Scotland 2004. Has three Grand Slams to his credit and this is his 10th successive RBS 6 Nations campaign Celtic League winner with Ospreys in 2004/05, 2006/07 and 2010, PRO12 winner last year. EDF Energy Cup winner with them in 2008, finalist 2007 Toured with the 2009 British & Irish Lions playing in the first two tests until a dislocated shoulder at Loftus Versfeld ended his tour His two RBS 6 Nations tries were scored 6 years apart - against Scotland in 2004 and England at Twickenham in 2010. Has played in Wales' last ten RBS 6 Nations games on tighthead His last 47 caps have all been in the number 3 shirt, he has started more test games at prop than any other Welshman. (4) ALUN-WYN JONES TEST CAREER Caps Starts Rep SNU Try Pts W D L Team: Ospreys Overall 69 61 8 2 7 35 31 - 38 Born: 19.9.1985 (27) in Swansea (Wales) RBS 6 Nations 25 24 1 - 1 5 16 - 9 Ht: 1.95m (6'5") Wt: 122kg (19st 2lb) v England 9 9 - - - - 5 - 4 Position: Lock @ Millennium Std 34 30 4 2 4 20 17 - 17 FACTBOX: 6 Nations 2013 2 1 1 - - - 2 - - Started his senior rugby with Swansea season 2004/5, eventually playing 35 games for the club Joined Ospreys summer 2005 making his debut v Leinster at Liberty Stadium in opening game of 2005/6 season. Current Ospreys skipper, he won EDF Energy Cup with Ospreys in 2008, Magners League in 2007 & 2010 and the RaboDirect PRO12 in 2012 Represented Wales U21 in 2004 as an 18 year old at World Championships in Scotland; played in his second U21 World championships in Argentina 2005 A member of Wales Grand Slam winning side in the 2005 U21 Six Nations, he played in the same tournament the following year Wales test debut in Argentina at Puerto Madryn, summer 2006. RBS 6 Nations debut 2007 against Ireland, Played in three games during Wales 2008 grand slam and repeated the feat in 2012 Skippered his country against Italy in 2009 RBS 6 Nations in Rome, and has been to two Rugby World Cups, 2007 & 2011 Toured with 2009 British & Irish Lions to South Africa scoring a try in the opening fixture v Royal Invitation XV, and going on to play in all 3 tests Compiled by (5) IAN EVANS TEST CAREER Caps Starts Rep SNU Try Pts W D L Team: Ospreys Overall 29 24 5 3 1 5 15 1 13 Born: 4.10.1984 (28) in Johannesburg (S Africa)RBS 6 Nations 13 11 2 1 - - 12 - 1 Ht: 2.03m (6'8") Wt: 116kg (18st 4lb) v England 2 1 1 - - - 2 - - Position: Lock @ Millennium Std 18 16 2 2 - - 9 1 8 FACTBOX: 6 Nations 2013 4 4 - - - - 3 - 1 Started his club career with Pontypridd then joined Neath and then Swansea Has been with Ospreys since 2005/6, now in 8th season with the region. His try against Glasgow in September was his first for Ospreys in nearly 6 years. Magners League winner with Ospreys in 2006/07, EDF Energy Cup winner with them in 2008. Won PRO12 with the Region last season defeating Leinster in the final at the RDS Wales U21 during the Six Nations and the U21 World Championships in Scotland in 2004, and played in all five games during the 2005 U21 Six Nations grand slam Test debut tour of Argentina 2006 scoring his only test try to date from 60 metres out in the 11th minute His appearance against Ireland in round one last year was his first in the RBS 6 Nations since the 2008 grand slam, he was in every matchday squad that campaign, a feat he repeated last season and this The only try he has scored in professional rugby since December 2006 was against Glasgow in the PRO12 in September His last six games of rugby have all been for Wales, he has not played for his region, Ospreys, since October.