Wales: 15 Lee Byrne (Ospreys), 14 Mark Jones (Scarlets), 13 Sonny Parker (Ospreys), 12 Gavin Henson (Ospreys), 11 Shane Williams (Ospreys), 10 James Hook (Ospreys), 9 Mike Phillips (Ospreys), 8 Ryan Jones (c) (Ospreys), 7 Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), 6 Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), 5 Ian Gough (Ospreys), 4 Alun Wyn-Jones (Ospreys), 3 Duncan Jones (Ospreys), 2 Huw Bennett (Ospreys), 1 Adam Jones (Ospreys).
Replacements: 16 Matthew Rees (Scarlets), 17 Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), 18 Ian Evans (Ospreys), 19 Alix Popham (Scarlets), 20 Gareth Cooper (Gloucester), 21 Stephen Jones (Scarlets), 22 Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues).

how can an international team expect to beat INTERNATIONAL opponents with 13 players from a single club team ...opinions wanted

Bad.
Very bad.

What is Shanklin doing on the bench?
When l heard he was not starting l presumed he must be injured.

Unless Edwards has performed miracles at training then it will be the wooden spoon for Wales

**Additional details**
Looking at the back 3 England have picked Wales might be ok.
It will be a boring kick & chase afternoon if Wales r going to win. But with Balshaw, Sackey & Volkano you'd be daft not t do it. Balshaw has been nowhere near his best for years. Sackey has no defense & can not kick. Vainikolo is class, but I've never seen him kick out of trouble & obviously 6 nations is going to be a big step up from the Union games he has played so far.

They should be more familiar with each other since they play for the same club & the Ospreys have been doing well in the Heineken Cup. It worked well for Ireland in last years Six Nations to have the entire back division from the same club & all but two of the forwards from another club, then again it did not work so well in the world cup. l do not agree with leaving Popham & Shanklin on the bench. l do think its time however that Hook got his chance & Wales can finally judge if his better than Jones or not.

Maybe it is because they have been playing very well for the ospreys in the Heineken cup, and these are the games that Gartland has been watching...as they play as a team, they are familiar with each other and should do well....we will just have to wait and see if it works!

Hope it does!

Gatland says it is just a coincidence as he has picked the in form players. Not sure about that with Shanklin on the bench.

It is a risk that might pay off, they should know how to play with each other, u can not argue that the consistency must be there for them. If they r truly that good l guess the Heinenken cup will also be in the Ospreys cabinet by the end of the year.

Personally l think he is crackers & a number of the players on the bench should be first XV.

If it works he will be applauded but if not he will be under a lot of pressure.

It sounds pretty ridiculous to me. Some commentators are suggesting Gatland is basing this on the Ospreys performance in the HEC, but really, it was an awful group and they qualified as a best runner up. It is interesting that Hook has got the nod, at least Gatland has the balls to drop some of the more experienced players, unlike EOS who has made 2 FORCED changes from the team that got humiliated at the WC.

Probably wo not get 10 points for saying this..but warren gatland does not know welsh rugby..so picking mainly from a region that is performing will give him a solid basis to which he can add or take away from in future..It is all about simplicity of selection & augmentation. If he has a strict gameplan in mind (which he probably does) why not pick the team that he feels can implement it the quickest & most effectively & who r largely familiar with each others play? Parker for example runs the blitz defence at the ospreys, & has terrific experience at this sort of thing..and a strong blitz in a familiar midfield that knows each other..is something that the coaches would want to implement straight away & is something which should be very advantagous..

Syniad da yn fy marn l

A good Idea in my Opinion

Well, l am not too sure. l support Ospreys myself so l might be a bit bias.

But who else would u play in any positions? Okay, maybe Shanklin, l agree there. Hook is a definate for 10 in my book.
Popham is a good sub, but does not have the fitness for the full 80. And maybe Gethin Jenkins to start. Him & Shanklin r the only ones that deserve to be in there l think.

Gatland has gone by what he has seen..and to be honest, Peel is not having the season of his life.

its a strange yet an interesting decision.

the ospreys are not the strongest welsh side..scarlets are. although their dreadful performances during the heineken cup
has resulted in most of their players not being selected yet their captain easterby has been selected for ireland ahead of quinlan

would the ospreys have done any better in a group with munster, wasps and clermont.. l dont think so

prediction
Eng 39-14 Wal

good as they all will now each other better, and hence feel confident around each other, and generally know how each of them play, so they can adapt and predict where to be