SIX NATIONS:Before today's clash, JOHN O'SULLIVANcompares the two sides and looks at how the players have fared this season
15 LEE BYRNE (Ospreys)
Age: 28
Height: 6ft 3in
Weight: 15st 9lbs (99kgs)
Caps: 26
Goes into this game as marginal favourite for the Lions fullback role, but his recent two Tests have been pockmarked by some uncharacteristic errors. Potential game breaker; runs great lines, sound under high ball.
14 MARK JONES (Scarlets)
Age: 29
Height: 6ft 2in
Weight: 15st (95kgs)
Caps: 45
Classic old-style Welsh wing. Beautifully balanced runner who can really shift. He has won his battle to oust the less experienced Leigh Halfpenny. Ireland can’t afford to give him any space.
13 TOM SHANKLIN (Cardiff)
Age: 29
Height: 6ft 2in
Weight: 15st 9lbs (99kgs)
Caps: 62
Warren Gatland has described him as the form centre in the Principality this season. Strong ball carrier, physically adept and an intelligent defender, who will patrol the outside midfield corridor.
12 GAVIN HENSON (Ospreys)
Age: 27
Height: 6ft
Weight: 15st 10lbs (100kgs)
Caps: 30
The great enigma in Welsh rugby. A wonderful distributor, kicks like a mule both out of hand and with the placed ball, has a great awareness of the running lines of others. Can be moody if things don’t go his way.
11 SHANE WILLIAMS (Ospreys)
Age: 32
Height: 5ft 7in
Weight: 12st 13lbs (82kgs)
Caps: 64
The current world player of the year. Give him an inch, literally, and he’ll dance his way past a cluster of would-be tacklers. Work-rate is excellent but Ireland could exploit his lack of height with the cross-kick.
10 STEPHEN JONES (Scarlets)
Age: 31
Height: 6ft 1in
Weight: 14st 12lbs (94kgs)
Caps: 79
May be less flamboyant than James Hook but that does not make him less effective. Accurate place-kicker and a pivot who can vary his approach. Very good tackler and a leader defensively.
9 MIKE PHILLIPS (Ospreys)
Age: 26
Height: 6ft 3in
Weight: 16st 4lbs (103kgs)
Caps: 37
It’s tempting fate to suggest he hasn’t sniped around the fringes as much in the Six Nations as is his wont. Has been a little subdued and is due a big game. Strong, physical and lethal from close range.
1 GETHIN JENKINS (Cardiff)
Age: 28
Height: 6ft 2in
Weight: 18st 3lbs (120kgs)
Caps: 67
His mobility and the fact that he can play on both sides of the front row make him a very valuable asset. Ireland may look to take the legs out of him a little by making him work hard at the set-piece.
2 MATTHEW REES (Scarlets)
Age: 28
Height: 6ft
Weight: 17st 1lb (108kgs)
Caps: 29
It’s a massive game for the Scarlets hooker as Ireland will definitely go after the Welsh lineout. He’ll have to keep his nerve and may be forced into a few throws to the tail. Excellent around the pitch.
3 ADAM JONES (Ospreys)
Age: 28
Height: 6ft
Weight: 19st 10lbs (125kgs)
Caps: 55
His appearance tends to camouflage a very good rugby player. Capable in the set-pieces, he possesses a fine work ethic and soft hands and a good appreciation of space for a member of the front row union.
4 IAN GOUGH (Ospreys)
Age: 32
Height: 6ft 6in
Weight: 18st 9lbs (118kgs)
Caps: 58
The player who does most of the hard graft in the pack. He is an abrasive character on the pitch and likes nothing better than physical collisions. One more big performance and he’ll be South Africa bound this summer.
5 ALUN-WYN JONES (Ospreys)
Age: 23
Height: 6ft 5in
Weight: 19st 1lb (121kgs)
Caps: 30
Athletic, mobile and a regular option out of touch for the Welsh. He is comfortable when Wales adopt a more expansive style while also more than willing to muck in, when required up front. Lions certainty.
6 RYAN JONES (Ospreys, capt)
Age: 28
Height: 6ft 5in
Weight: 18st (114kgs)
Caps: 30
This hasn’t been an auspicious Six Nations campaign for the Welsh captain, who started the game against Italy on the bench. Definitely needs a high profile display today as a timely reminder of his undoubted ability.
7 MARTYN WILLIAMS (Cardiff)
Age: 33
Height: 6ft
Weight: 15st 11lbs (100kgs)
Caps: 87
The scavenger par excellence, expect to find him super-glued to the ball come ruck time. Ticks all the boxes for an openside flanker and if Wales do win he’ll be at the heart of the victory.
8 ANDY POWELL (Cardiff)
Age: 27
Height: 6ft 4in
Weight: 17st 6lbs (111kgs)
Caps: 8
Came into the Six Nations with a fanfare of expectation based on his bruising ball-carrying but unless he can rediscover that form is in danger of leaving as an unfulfilled talent. Discovering a side-step would help.
