SIX NATIONS:RYAN JONES has turned up the heat on Ireland after installing them as "favourites" ahead of Saturday's Six Nations decider in Cardiff.

Wales skipper Jones, who led the Dragons to a clean sweep last season, said: “Ireland will come here with the favourites tag and with that, there is a pressure and burden to bear.

“But with the experience of the players they have got at both club and international level, they should be able to deal with it.

“I don’t think that should be an issue for them. I’m sure the likes of the Munster boys will treat this game as just another game.

“We will both try to win the game but it’s just about who gets it right on the day.”

Wales are also in the hunt for the Triple Crown but can also add back-to-back championships for the first time in 30 years should the defending champions win by 13 points. But Jones has warned there will not be much attractive rugby on show.

Jones said: “The game won’t be pretty because there’s too much at stake. It will be extremely physical and the kicking game is going to be massive.

“You only have to look at Ronan O’Gara who controls the game for Munster week in, week out. We’ve got to make sure we win that area.

“He’s a world-class number 10 and we all know his strengths and weaknesses. It’s up to us to see if we can exploit his defence. We haven’t said it’s a weakness but we will try to use it to our advantage.

“Defences are so strong today that there won’t be many tries but if we play rugby in the right areas and win the territorial battle, we can win the match.”

Tom Shanklin will be rewarded for his match-winner against Italy with a starting place in former Ireland and now Wales coach Warren Gatland’s side.

Shanklin spared the Dragons’ blushes with his 20th Test try in the slender 20-15 victory in Rome.

Gatland will name Cardiff Blues Shanklin alongside Gavin Henson at centre today, with Jamie Roberts rested.

Stephen Jones looks set to be reinstated at outhalf for James Hook, with Lee Byrne and skipper Jones overcoming knocks to start.

Wales attack coach Rob Howley said: “Lee picked up an ankle twist but has come through okay in the last 48 hours. We expect him and Ryan to be fit for Saturday.”

Gethin Jenkins – who scored after a charge-down in the 2005 Grand Slam win over the Irish – and Adam Jones will return to repair the damage sustained in the frontrow, while the evergreen Martyn Williams also starts at openside flanker.

Meanwhile, Ireland backs coach Alan Gaffney believes Ireland have not yet played to their potential in the championship.

“No, I don’t think we have and I think the players are fully aware of that,” said the Australian from their Killiney base yesterday.

“We’re on our way. There is no doubt about that, but I don’t think – and I’m sure the players understand – they still have a way to go. You are getting 110 per cent out of those players every week but I think they know themselves there is still improvement left. That is an easy thing to say but I honestly believe it to be the truth in this circumstance. You still haven’t seen the best out of this team.”

Describing the lack of serious injuries as “miraculous” these past few weeks, the main concern remains the soft-tissue damage to Denis Leamy’s shoulder. The Tipperary man lasted 31 minutes in Murrayfield and was a similar casualty in Munster’s epic against New Zealand four months back.

“He is rehabing at the present time,” Gaffney confirmed. “He didn’t train today and probably won’t train tomorrow but there is definite hope that he will be okay by the weekend. We’ve just got to see how he progresses.

“Obviously Denis adds a lot to any team but then again we’ve got some very good people in the wings if it doesn’t turn out the way we’d like.”

A decision will be made today when the team and replacements are announced, with Alan Quinlan or Shane Jennings poised for promotion to the 22.

With Wales seeking a 13-point margin of victory and presuming they remain true to an expansive philosophy, Gaffney hinted that Ireland may need to follow suit to attain the status of Jackie Kyle, Karl Mullen and company.

“The first half last weekend was one of those strange halves. We definitely wanted to go out and be expansive. I think the penalty county at one time, and we are not suggesting the penalties weren’t correct, but it was 8-2. We never had any field position in the first half. I think we played off three lineouts, two of which were in our 22. Played off one scrum. So it was very difficult to mount any potent attack.

“In the second half I think we showed a bit more. Hopefully the game opens up on the weekend. I think we won’t possibly have a lot of set-pieces on the weekend. There is going to be a lot of open field running, I mean, they like to play the game with width, and so do we. Obviously it is going to be a battle up front but both sides have a willingness to run.”

The malfunctioning scrum? “It’s not a massive problem. It is sometimes the interpretation of the referee where one referee may allow you to do certain things and another doesn’t. I don’t think we gave away any dumb penalties.”