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Welsh injury-free for England test
16 March 2004, 10:07 am
Wales will select from an injury-free squad for the RBS 6 Nations championship clash against England at Twickenham on Saturday.
For the first time during the current championship coach Steve Hansen will not have any injury concerns to worry him before he announces his side on Wednesday night.

Everyone trained yesterday (Monday) for the first time in three or four weeks, said Wales team manager Alan Phillips.

And of course that means Robin McBryde has recovered from his bout of tonsillitis.

The Llanelli Scarlets hooker pulled out of the France match on the morning of the game with the virus, meaning a late call for Mefin Davies. McBryde is expected to be the only change from the team that went down 29-22 to the French.

Hansen, who is preparing for his penultimate game in charge before he returns home to New Zealand to be his country's assistant coach to Graham Henry, has been pleased with the week's preparations.

The boys are training well and as the week goes on, the intensity will come and reach the level where it needs to be played, he said.

You obviously target the things you are not doing well and that's what we've done - we will see how far we have come on Saturday.

Take the scrum out and I think we competed very well against France. Both sides competed well on the other's line-out, which was more indicative of the competition. We both got turnovers and it was a really competitive game.

Hansen, who will be succeeded as Wales coach by Mike Ruddock, believes the most significant change in the England side for Saturday is the return to full-back from inside centre of Jason Robinson.

The Sale flyer inspired England to beat Wales in the World Cup quarter-final from full-back to set up Will Greenwood for the decisive try.

Full-back is Jason Robinson's natural position, said Hansen. He'll be a lot more dangerous back there than in midfield.

He'll get a free shot back there - if we kick him the ball, we have to make sure we put in a good chase and make our first-up tackles.

On the return of Mike Tindall, Hansen said: I think it's a stronger looking side. Tindall gives them a bit of go-forward and some grunt - he's got a bit of dog about him. He's not as good on his feet as Jason, but he frees Jason up to play his game.

Will Greenwood is a good player. He scores tries all the time because he's got great support lines. Defensively he missed Tindall a bit - they're a good combination.

They've brought (Danny) Grewcock back in and he's very experienced and (Chris) Jones comes in on the loose, so they are looking for a big line-out.

Hansen admits he is wary of England after they lost at home to Ireland.

They've lost and any team that's been beaten and is worth their salt will come out better the next time they play.

Some of the problems they have got, like us, they've got to iron out pretty quickly. It is up to us to go out and put pressure on them early.


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