WALES out-half Stephen Jones has welcomed the return of skipper Ryan Jones, prop Gethin Jenkins and scrum-half Mike Phillips from injury for his side’s clash with Italy tomorrow in Cardiff.

Ospreys teenager Tom Prydie has won a shock call-up to the Wales team for Saturday’s RBS Six Nations Championship finale against Italy in Cardiff.

WALES survived a punishing physical examination by Samoa at the Millennium Stadium – but were made to sweat for victory.

WALES captain Ryan Jones has urged his team to “play smart” against the renowned physical threat of Samoa tonight.

Wales’ head coach Warren Gatland has made five changes from the team beaten by New Zealand for Friday night’s Millennium Stadium clash against Samoa.

Wales will be without two British and Irish Lions scrum-halves for their opening autumn Test against New Zealand on November 7.

BYRON KELLEHER admits Toulouse are still smarting from their 2008 Heineken Cup defeat to Munster as they chase a fourth European title.

ALUN-WYN JONES will make his debut as Wales captain next week — and he could keep the job for a potential RBS 6 Nations title showdown against Ireland.

WALES boss Warren Gatland has no doubt that Gavin Henson is fit and ready to make his long awaited Test rugby return in Paris on Friday night.

WALES wing wizard Shane Williams has only a “50-50” chance of being fit to weave his magic against England tomorrow.

Wales boss Warren Gatland has retained the team beaten by world champions South Africa for the Millennium Stadium clash against New Zealand.

SAINT-ANDRE already eyeing quarter-final berth!

Sale Sharks have been able to name a strong side for Sunday's Heineken Cup game against Munster at Edgeley Park, despite losing Kristian Ormsby through suspension and remaining without Andrew Sheridan through injury.

MALCOLM O’KELLY could become Leinster’s most capped player in Saturday’s top-of-the-table Magners League clash with Llanelli Scarlets, (Stradey Park, 5.30pm).

JAMES HOOK has been given the responsibility of guiding Wales to Grand Slam glory after reclaiming the fly-half jersey for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations showdown with France in Cardiff.

James Hook has reclaimed the fly-half jersey from Stephen Jones for Wales’ RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam showdown with France at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Stephen Jones has won the race to start at fly-half in Wales’ Triple Crown showdown with Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday.

Stephen Jones and Dwayne Peel will start in the half-backs against Italy a week on Saturday after Wales head coach Warren Gatland made six changes to the side that beat Scotland.

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN’S odds on being the British and Irish Lions coach for the 2009 tour to South Africa drifted further yesterday after an admission by Lions bosses that the coach may not be from the four home nations.

Gavin Henson will make his first Test start for more than a year when Wales tackle world champions South Africa at the Millennium Stadium this weekend.

Gavin Henson has been recalled by Wales to the preliminary squad for their one-off Test against world champions South Africa this month.

WALES will share a beer with the Fiji team after today’s World Cup eliminator in Nantes but are determined it will be a party and not a wake.

Wales captain Gareth Thomas will win his 100th cap in Saturday’s World Cup eliminator against Fiji after making a rapid return from injury.

Wales head coach Gareth Jenkins has recalled experienced trio Stephen Jones, Gareth Thomas and Colin Charvis for Saturday’s pivotal World Cup clash with Australia in Cardiff.

Shane Williams has returned to the Wales side after recovering from elbow surgery and will start on the wing against France in Sunday’s final pre-World Cup Test.

Gareth Thomas will captain Wales at the World Cup next month.

Wales head coach Gareth Jenkins has dropped Brent Cockbain from his World Cup plans - and given a surprise call-up to uncapped Gloucester lock Will James.

Ireland internationals Geordan Murphy and Shane Jennings will start for Leicester Tigers against Llanelli Scarlets in the Heineken Cup semi-final at the Walkers Stadium on Saturday.

WASPS forward James Haskell will make his England debut in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

JAMES HASKELL has received a ringing endorsement from one of England’s leading coaches as he prepares to make his Test match debut.

ENGLAND coach Brian Ashton has ignored struggling Wales’ miserable RBS 6 Nations season and predicted possibly his team’s “toughest game of the tournament” on Saturday.

FRANCE prop Sylvain Marconnet has been ruled out of the rest of the RBS 6 Nations Championship after suffering a serious injury while on a skiing holiday.

Kevin Morgan has been recalled to the Wales side to face Italy in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash after making a swift recovery from a fractured jaw.

GARETH JENKINS reacted to Wales’ 21-9 defeat to Scotland by making seven changes for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with France, including four in a revamped pack.

MARK JONES has recovered from ankle ligament damage and is named on the wing for Wales’ RBS 6 Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield.

Wales head coach Gareth Jenkins believes axed centre Gavin Henson is struggling to cope with the pressures of his celebrity status.

Gareth Thomas has been named in the Wales side to play Ireland this weekend, pending the outcome of today’s disciplinary hearing.

BELEAGURED England boss Andy Robinson has reacted to his team’s shambolic defeat against Argentina by making seven changes for the Twickenham appointment with South Africa on Saturday.

ULSTER’S stand-in captain and resident hard man Justin Harrison wants the same performance from his players against Llanelli at Stradey Park tonight that they produced in humiliating Toulouse last week.

Stephen Jones has been handed the Wales captaincy through to next year’s World Cup in France.

OSPREYS boss Lyn Jones has predicted “an encounter to remember” when his star-studded Welsh challengers tackle English champions Sale Sharks in a mouth-watering Heineken Cup clash this evening.

PROMISING full-back Danny Riordan — he will be 22 on Monday — has received a timely birthday with his inclusion in the Connacht side to play Edinburgh Gunners in the Magners League at the Sportsground tomorrow night.

BRYN CUNNINGHAM will join the list of Ulster centurions when he faces Llanelli Scarlets at Stradey Park this evening.

Gavin Henson has been given the opportunity to redeem himself from the bench in Wales’ RBS Six Nations Championship clash with Italy on Saturday.