A depleted Welsh side takes on Zimbabwe in a friendly international in Harare today, a prelude to the touring side's Test against world champions South Africa later this month. The Five Nations squad of 30 are on tour without 18 regulars, including injured Lions outhalf Neil Jenkins and most of their first XV - the bulk of them injured, but some dropped for poor form.
Caretaker coach, Dennis John, was at pains yesterday to try and justify what some local rugby commentators have called "Wales's rugby safari" in Zimbabwe, where the home team hardly offers the sort of competition the 1999 World Cup hosts need to hone their skills.
John said he expected Zimbabwe to put up a determined fight.
He will rely on the experience of the most-capped players in the side, hooker Garan Jenkins and winger Wayne Proctor (36 caps each), to lead the mostly untested debutants in the line-up.
The hosts are at full-strength, although the lack of competition at the highest level could prove their undoing.
The southern African side are strong at the back where full back Victor Olonga - a controversial but gifted player - has been scoring international tries at the rate of one-a-game.
Kenny Tsimba is a good kicker, while Shaun Landman leads the pack. Meanwhile, Ricky Evans, the former Wales rugby international, will claim damages against the France player Olivier Merle in the Paris High Court on Monday, lawyers confirmed on Thursday.
The former prop received a broken nose and leg injuries in the incident during a Five Nations Championship game in January 1995. His writ claims damages for the injuries, loss of earnings and medical expenses. Evans, 37, who now coaches at Cardigan, had a steel plate inserted in his ankle and was forced out of the game for more than four months, missing three internationals. He needed further surgery and did not regain his international place. His solicitor said the French judge would watch a video of the incident and was expected to reserve his ruling for about a month. Merle has said that Evans's injuries were caused accidentally in a tackle that was not penalised by the referee.
Mark Taylor steps into Allan Bateman's shoes at centre in a Welsh team without Scott Gibbs and Neil Jenkins.
The Heineken Cup is set to be fortified by four Super 12 teams next season to compensate for the English clubs' boycott. The tournament's organiser, European Rugby Ltd, says talks are being held with the Australian, New Zealand and South African unions about turning the Heineken Cup into a money-spinning world series tournament.
Zimbabwe: V Olonga; R Karimazondo, C Graham, J Ewing; B French, K Tsimba; R Bekker, B Dawson, L Greef, M Mberengwa, B Catterill, S Landman, G Snyder, W Barrat, G Stewart.
Wales: D Weatherley; W Proctor, D James, M Taylor, R Rees; A Thomas, R Howley; S Quinnell, M Williams, N Thomas, A Moore, M Jones, J Davies, G Jenkins, D Morris.
