Henry: I know the pressure on Wales

NEW ZEALAND coach Graham Henry knows only too well the pressures that coaching Wales can bring and can probably empathise with the situation Warren Gatland finds himself in heading into Saturday’s final Test between the two countries.

Henry was hailed as the ‘Great Redeemer’ when he led Wales to 10 straight victories on arrival in 1998.

But as the results dried up, the knives came out and he left part-way through the 2002 Six Nations campaign after a heavy 54-10 loss to Ireland.

While last weekend’s 42-9 defeat to the All Blacks in Dunedin was a few points shy of that margin, it was Gatland’s heaviest defeat since taking over Wales in 2007 and the New Zealander will be keen to rectify that this weekend in the last hit-out of the season.

“I’m been in that situation myself, quite frankly – a few times,” Henry wryly noted. “You have always got a point to prove haven’t, you?

“The Welsh side are very proud rugby players and their management will be very keen to put things right at the weekend.”

Stephen Jones’ chances of being available for Saturday’s final Test appear to be improving.

The Wales fly-half, who injured his thumb last weekend, looked relaxed when the squad arrived for training at Gatland’s former school – Hamilton Boys High School – on Tuesday.

Although he trained separately from his team-mates, the fact Welsh management have chosen not to call in a replacement suggests the 32-year-old will play some part at the weekend.

Meanwhile, John Smit is looking forward to returning to lead South Africa in the second Test against Italy, after admitting it was “quite strange” to watch the opener from the sideline.

The 95-cap veteran missed the Springboks’ lacklustre 29-13 victory over the Azzurri last weekend because of a hamstring injury, but makes a swift return to a much-changed squad.

Smit heads five changes to the run-on team with Schalk Burger, who has recovered from an ankle complaint, Andries Bekker, Jacque Fourie and Juan Jongh also set to start at the Buffalo City Stadium in East London. Former Munster centre Jean de Villiers has been switched to the right wing.

Elsewhere, France have handed Bayonne outside centre Lionel Mazars his starting debut for their one-off Test against Argentina on Saturday.

Mazars will run out alongside Florian Fritz at the Velez Sarsfield Stadium in a back-line that includes the likes of scrum-half Morgan Parra and wings Vincent Clerc and Julien Malzieu.

Thierry Dusautoir fills the six jersey and leads a pack that sees Fabien Barcella continue his return at prop.