SIX NATIONS:GAVIN HENSON is a doubt for the opening match in Wales's defence of their Six Nations title against Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday after straining a calf muscle in training this week. The centre, who was 27 last Sunday, has not played for Wales since their grand slam-clinching international against France last March and a decision on his fitness will be made tomorrow before the squad flies north.
The Wales coach, Warren Gatland, has paired Henson with Jamie Roberts in midfield for the second time. The first occasion was back in November before the opening match of the autumn international series against South Africa, only for Henson to pull out less than 24 hours before kick-off with an achilles’ tendon problem having missed the summer tour to South Africa following ankle surgery.
He was replaced then by Tom Shanklin, with Roberts moving to inside-centre and Andrew Bishop coming on to the bench. The same will happen tomorrow or Friday should Henson pull out which, given his reluctance to play unless he is 100 per cent fit, is more likely than not.
“Gavin felt the problem in training on Tuesday and he is having treatment,” said Gatland. “We will not wait until the last moment before making a decision about him, as we did in November. The prospect of Jamie and Gavin pairing up in the midfield is an exciting one, from both an attacking and defensive point of view. They are both big men and looked sharp together in training last week.”
Gatland has chosen the pack that started in the victory over Australia last December, meaning the fit-again hooker Huw Bennett makes only the bench, but the three changes behind see the return of Henson and the scrum-half, Mike Phillips, with Leigh Halfpenny who, like Andy Powell, will be making his championship debut, coming in on the wing for Mark Jones, who has only just recovered from an appendix operation.
Meanwhile, Italy coach Nick Mallett has handed Mauro Bergamasco the number nine role for their Saturday’s Six Nations opener against England at Twickenham.
With Pablo Canavosio having failed to recover from a problematic knee and Simone Piccone and Pietro Travagli out for the entire tournament through injury, Mallett revealed he had little choice but to shift the Stade Francais flanker to the number nine role.
“I didn’t have much choice,” said Mallett. “I wanted to play Canavosio but he is injured as are Piccone and Travagli. Mauro is not ideal because he has never played before in this role, but this is my choice and I take full responsibility.This is something I want to try. Mauro has no fear of these type of games and I hope he has a great game against England.”
The Azzurri welcome back Leicester Tigers prop Martin Castrogiovanni, who returns to the squad after a one-year absence.
Mallett has included uncapped Venezia player Jean-Francois Montauriol in the squad.
Italy finished bottom of the table last year, but they gave England a run for their money in Rome in a narrow 23-19 defeat.
- Guardian Service
