International News

By Dai
August 24 2003

Steve Hansen and Clive Woodward have named their squads for the Wales vs. England match next weekend and both squads along with news of Mike Ruddocks coaching opportunity with Wales can be found by reading on.

• Steve Hansen has named his Wales squad to face England on Saturday. The full squad reads:

Backs: Rhys Williams , Gareth Thomas , Mark Taylor , Sonny Parker , Mark Jones , Stephen Jones , Gareth Cooper , Gavin Henson , Mike Phillips , Tom Shanklin .
Forwards: Iestyn Thomas , Robin McBryde , Gethin Jenkins , Robert Sidoli , Chris Wyatt , Dafydd Jones , Martyn Williams , Colin Charvis , Adam Jones , Jon Thomas , Gavin Thomas , Gareth Williams

The players in italics look set to be on the bench while the others start the game .

• Clive Woodward has also named his England team to face Wales. His team reads:

D Scarbrough (Leeds); J Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), J Noon (Newcastle), S Abbott (Wasps), D Luger (Perpignan); A King (Wasps), A Gomarsall (Gloucester); J Leonard (Harlequins, capt), M Regan (Leeds), J White (Leicester), D Grewcock (Bath), S Shaw (Wasps), M Corry (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester), J Worsley (Wasps).

• In the other main Welsh news, Mike Ruddock and Clive Griffiths will coach the Wales team that will play Romania next Wednesday. Steve Hansen has handed the coaching responsibility to the pair although he will pick the squad for the game himself.

Hansen has become unhappy with the situation of having to play 3 games in one week which has prompted the decision which will cause some speculation over the identity of the next Welsh coach. Hansen has himself mentioned his current assistant Scott Johnson as a possibility although there will be many people in the Welsh Rugby Union who want a Welshman to take over the post with the most likely candidates being Gareth Jenkins, Mike Ruddock and Phil Davies.