Henson relaunches Test career

Wales v South Africa:More than a year and a World Cup after his last start for Wales, Gavin Henson will relaunch his Test career on Saturday when he lines up against South Africa in a team chosen with the aim of opening a new era of Welsh rugby.

There are seven changes from the side that cost Gareth Jenkins his job by losing to Fiji seven weeks ago.

Morgan Stoddart, the Llanelli Scarlets fullback who was told on Monday that he was surplus to requirements, makes his debut and Rhys Thomas, the Newport Gwent Dragons' prop, and the Cardiff open-side flanker, Robin Sowden-Taylor, gain their first starts in the first and last side - at least for some time - selected by Jenkins' former deputy and now caretaker coach, Nigel Davies.

Warren Gatland will lead Wales into the Six Nations, but no one can accuse Davies of timidity in the short time before he hands control to the New Zealander.

In addition to relegating the former captain Stephen Jones to the replacements' bench, Davies has shifted Tom Shanklin to the wing where he played in the dim and distant with Saracens.

There were even thoughts of starting the 20-year-old Cardiff Blues wing Tom James against the world champions, but for once caution prevailed.

"We felt we needed a little experience in the back three and we thought two novices was too much," said Davies, although he did reveal that the numbers on the back of the wings would not necessarily indicate how they would play; presumably meaning that Mark Jones would look after Bryan Habana, the Springbok voted the best player in the World Cup.

However, it is the return of Henson at inside-centre and alongside his Ospreys team-mate James Hook that will please Gatland.

There is no doubting Henson's rugby-playing gifts, but the centre has had a turbulent couple of years on and off the field, culminating in being left out of the Welsh World Cup squad by Jenkins.

Jenkins said Henson was not fit for France. Henson questioned the speed of the decision, but Davies asked him to prove himself against Gloucester in the Heineken European Cup last Friday. The Ospreys lost, but Henson clearly did enough, although there was more than a hint yesterday that he was chosen as part of a club midfield unit - outside-centre Sonny Parker is also an Osprey - rather than solely on form.

"I saw him at Kingsholm on Friday which is a very intense environment, very close to an international arena, and he performed well and that convinced me," said Davies before adding: "But there are other factors: there is a midfield trio that has been together for the Ospreys and has a good understanding."

There was also a caveat regarding the selection of Stoddart, who replaces Lee Byrne. Stoddart was shed when Davies reduced the squad from 31 to 24 on Monday then recalled when the severity of Byrne's ankle injury became obvious.

"Morgan is one of three Welsh fullbacks playing in the regions. One is injured and one is returning from an injury, so he's the form player," said Davies.

There was less doubt about the selection of Thomas, announced seven years to the day since he travelled from Johannesburg to begin a "rugby holiday" in Wales, or that of 25-year-old Sowden-Taylor, who has played much of his rugby in the shadow of Martyn Williams.

After Williams announced his retirement from Test rugby, Davies last week asked Cardiff to start Sowden-Taylor against Harlequins - a request not just denied, but underlined in red ink. Williams played the entire 80 minutes with Sowden-Taylor looking on.

Davies said he already knew enough.

"We've watched Rob since we came back from France and I'm totally comfortable.

"This is definitely a new-look team but, more importantly, we have to become accustomed to winning."

(At the Millennium Stadium on Saturday. KO 2.45)

M Stoddart (Llanelli Scarlets); M Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), S Parker (Ospreys), G Henson (Ospreys), T Shanklin (Cardiff Blues); J Hook (Ospreys), D Peel (Llanelli Scarlets); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues, captain), H Bennett (Ospreys), R Thomas (Newport Gwent Dragons), A-W Jones (Ospreys), I Evans (Ospreys), C Charvis (Newport Gwent Dragons), R Sowden-Taylor (Cardiff Blues), J Thomas (Ospreys).

Replacements:TR Thomas (Cardiff Blues), D Jones (Ospreys), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), A Popham (Llanelli Scarlets), M Phillips (Ospreys), S Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), T James (Cardiff Blues).