Wales hit with selection crisis

Wales coach Gareth Jenkins may be forced into a major reshuffle ahead of next week's Six Nations clash with Ireland in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Jenkins has already had to cope with the loss of wingers Mark Jones and Shane Williams and may now lose his contingency plan after Tom Shanklin failed a late fitness test for Cardiff Blues on Friday and Gareth Thomas was charged with misconduct by the ERC.

Jenkins had planned to move Thomas to the wing and Gavin Henson to fullback, while deploying Shanklin at outside centre alongside 21-year-old James Hook.

Shanklin's thigh strain, however, is taking longer than expected to ease up. The centre has not played since December 27th. Thomas, meanwhile, will have a disciplinary hearing next week over his part in the ugly scenes involving Trevor Brennan when Toulouse took on Ulster in the Heineken Cup last weekend.

Thomas will answer a "misconduct complaint" after it was alleged he "engaged in aggressive exchanges with spectators", attempted to enter a seated area and made an offensive hand gesture towards spectators, according to the ERC. The hearing is to be carried out on February 1st and any ban arising from it would be applicable to the Six Nations.

If the pair are ruled out Hal Luscombe is leads the charge for both positions, which could leave then door open for either Cardiff centre Jamie Robinson or rookie winger Chris Czekaj.

The loss of two senior players, coupled with the absence of Williams and Jones, would be a body blow to Wales.

"Sunday night is going to be a difficult night and we are going to burn the midnight oil. It will be difficult because we have selection headaches in front of us," Jenkins said yesterday.

Shanklin is especially important to Wales, according to Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan.

"Shanklin is a very good player. Two years ago I thought Shanklin was a key man in Wales winning the Grand Slam," said O'Sullivan yesterday.

"If Tom Shanklin is not playing that could change the whole dynamics again. He is a very important player to them."

As far as Irish injuries go, O'Sullivan is just waiting to see how lock Malcolm O'Kelly will respond to treatment for his chronic knee injury.

The second row was included in the 24-man squad on Wednesday but so too was Munster's Mick O'Driscoll who may yet be required.

O'Sullivan is still no clearer on the Leinster man's situation. "We have to wait until next week to see how he is responding," he said yesterday.