SCOTLAND v WALESTomorrow, 3pm Murrayfield Live on RTÉ 2 BBC 1: WARREN GATLAND said this week that a factor behind Gavin Henson returning to the side to face Scotland at Murrayfield tomorrow was that Wales had never lost a Six Nations match in which the centre had started.
But Wales left for Edinburgh last night without the 27-year-old after the latest in his series of injuries.
Henson pulled out after failing to recover from a calf strain he sustained in training on Tuesday. He missed the summer tour to South Africa because of ankle surgery and played no part in Wales’ four autumn internationals after withdrawing from the first game against South Africa with an Achilles tendon problem.
Henson won his first cap more than seven years ago but has amassed only 27 more since then, missing out most often because of injury and a refusal to play unless he feels 100 per cent fit.
Gatland, though, will be exasperated his plan to pair him with Jamie Roberts in the midfield has been stymied again. Roberts will move to inside-centre, with Tom Shanklin coming off the bench to play at number 13 and Andrew Bishop joining the replacements.
Though Wales said Henson would be reassessed next week before the match against England, it may prove an injury too far.
Henson’s loss robs Wales of balance in the back division. Outhalf Stephen Jones will bear most of the tactical kicking load, but Wales will have thrust in midfield against inexperienced opponents. It will make the breakdown an even more crucial area.
Scotland have chosen a team to run, with Chris Paterson, probably the most consistent goal-kicker in the world, confined to the bench. Their coach, Frank Hadden, highlighted Phil Godman’s high kicking return this season, but too often in recent seasons Scotland have scored in multiples of three.
They found their way over the opposition try-line twice in last season’s Six Nations but, if they showed little in the way of creativity during the 2007 World Cup, they surprised South Africa and the All Blacks last November by their physical but expansive approach.
Wales have a poor recent record at Murrayfield but in their last victory there, in their 2005 grand slam, their offloading and the lines taken by support runners left Scotland floundering. If they are to start their title defence with a win, they will need to exploit their sharper edge in attack.
Even without the injured Euan Murray and Nathan Hines, Scotland will not be lacking physically and the outcome will hinge on whether the underdogs have more bite than yap.
REPLACEMENTS
SCOTLAND: 16 Dougie Hall (Glasgow), 17 Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester), 18 Kelly Brown (Glasgow), 19 Scott Gray (Northampton), 20 Chris Cusiter (Perpignan), 21 Chris Paterson (Edinburgh), 22 Max Evans (Glasgow).
WALES: 16 Huw Bennett (Ospreys), 17 John Yapp (Cardiff Blues), 18 Luke Charteris (N-G Dragons), 19 Dafydd Jones (Scarlets), 20 Dwayne Peel (Sale Sharks), 21 James Hook (Ospreys), 22 Andrew Bishop (Ospreys).
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland).
Assistant referees: Chris White, Rob Debney (both England).
