Welsh Rugby Union : Newsroom : Seven Welshmen enter Sharks danger zone

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Teams Wal v Ita Teams Wales v Italy Opposition Italy (H) Date 01/02/2014 Date 01/02/2014, KO 14:30 Date Sat 1st Feb 14 Home/away H Opposition Italy Venue Millennium Stadium Time KO 14:30 Referee Previous Meeting Ita 9-26 Wal Wal Form L L W W L Ita Form W L L L W Ticket Information Overview Teams Ire v Wal Teams Ireland v Wales Opposition Ireland (A) Date 08/02/2014 Date 08/02/2014, KO 14:30 Date Sat 8th Feb 14 Home/away A Opposition Ireland Venue AVIVA Stadium Time KO 14:30 Referee Previous Meeting Wal Form L L W W L Ire Form W W W L L Ticket Information Overview Teams Wal v Fra Teams Wales v France Opposition France (H) Date 21/02/2014 Date 21/02/2014, KO 20:00 Date Fri 21st Feb 14 Home/away H Opposition France Venue Millennium Stadium Time KO 20:00 Referee Previous Meeting Wal Form L L W W L Fra Form L L L D W Ticket Information Overview Teams Eng v Wal Teams England v Wales Opposition England (A) Date 09/03/2014 Date 09/03/2014, KO 15:00 Date Sun 9th Mar 14 Home/away A Opposition England Venue Twickenham Stadium Time KO 15:00 Referee Previous Meeting Wal Form L L W W L Eng Form W W W W L Ticket Information Overview Teams Wal v Sco Teams Wales v Scotland Opposition Scotland (H) Date 15/03/2014 Date 15/03/2014, KO 14:45 Date Sat 15th Mar 14 Home/away H Opposition Scotland Venue Millennium Stadium Time KO 14:45 Referee Previous Meeting Wal Form L L W W L Sco Form L W W L L Ticket Information Overview

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Newsroom

Lee Byrne, Shane Williams, Jamie Roberts, Mike Phillips, Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones and Alun Wyn-Jones all start at the ABSA Stadium on Wednesday, while Leigh Halfpenny and Matthew Rees start on the bench. Blues and Wales flanker Martyn Williams was the only player unavailable for selection due to a shoulder injury. He is expected to be available for Saturday's clash with Western Province. Paul O'Connell retains the captaincy of the side.

Lions tour manager, WRU Board member Gerald Davies said, "We are now halfway through the provincial matches prior to the First Test and the important factor is that the Lions are unbeaten. The next challenge is the Sharks in Durban. The selected team will want to ensure that the one hundred percent playing record is maintained with a victory at ABSA Stadium which is also the venue of the First Test."

Commenting on the team selection Head Coach Ian McGeechan said, "I am delighted that as we head into the fourth match we only have one player who is unavailable for selection. The players and the medical staff have managed the injuries that have been sustained in a very professional manner. This is crucial as we enter matches against two of South Africa's strongest provinces in the Sharks and Western Province in the space of four days."

"This is reflected by the fact that four starting players from the Cheetahs match will back up against the Sharks, while five players are starting their third match of the tour. Those players are captain Paul O'Connell, Lee Byrne, Shane Williams, Jamie Roberts and David Wallace. Paul will start with his third different second row partner in Alun-Wyn Jones, while we also have new starting partnerships in the back three, the halfbacks and in the front row."

"The next two matches are obviously critical in the development of the Test side. While we have these new starting partnerships for the Sharks match we also have a centre pairing in Jamie Roberts and Brian O'Driscoll, and a backrow of Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace and Tom Croft that have played together on tour in the Golden Lions match," added McGeechan.

British and Irish Lions team v Sharks Wednesday 10 June, 6.10pm UK time:
Lee Byrne (Ospreys/Wales); Shane Williams (Ospreys/Wales), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster/Ireland), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/Wales), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster/Ireland); Ronan O'Gara (Munster/Ireland), Mike Phillips (Ospreys/Wales); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues/Wales), Lee Mears (Bath/England), Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales), Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales), Paul O'Connell (capt, Munster/Ireland), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England), David Wallace (Munster/Ireland), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/Ireland)
Replacements: Matthew Rees (Scarlets/Wales), Phil Vickery (London Wasps/England), Simon Shaw (London Wasps/England), Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England) Mike Blair (Edinburgh/Scotland), Riki Flutey (London Wasps/England), Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues/Wales)

WRU TV

Prabhat Mathema, the WRU's National Medical Manager explains the four part Pitchside Suspected Concussion Assessment process the IRB has devised that is being implemented throughout the Dove Men Series and in the LV= Cup this season, which includes the provision for a five minute temporary substitution to allow an assessment to take place.