Six Nations: Harris axed for France clash

Wales have dropped Iestyn Harris for Saturday’s Lloyds TSB Six Nations Championship clash against France at the Millennium Stadium.

The £1m (€1.6m) rugby league import is axed after four successive Test match appearances since switching codes, and must settle for a replacements’ bench role.

Harris is the only player omitted on form following Wales’ record 54-10 humiliation by Ireland in Dublin 10 days ago.

His fellow centre Jamie Robinson is injured, so 22-year-old Saracens prospect Tom Shanklin gains a first Six Nations start, partnering Newport’s Andy Marinos in midfield.

Marinos won his first cap as a replacement at Lansdowne Road, while Shanklin’s only previous Wales outing came during Wales’ tour of Japan last summer, when he scored two tries in a 53-30 victory over Japan at Tokyo’s Prince Chichibu Memorial Ground.

Despite the Irish rout, caretaker coach Steve Hansen has made just one other change, an enforced second-row switch that sees Swansea’s Andy Moore taking over from ankle injury victim Chris Wyatt.

Llanelli lock Wyatt was hurt early in the Ireland game, and failed a fitness test this morning.

One change on the replacements’ bench sees in-form Bath flanker Gavin Thomas preferred to Neath’s New Zealand-born Brett Sinkinson.

Harris scored 40 points in his first three Tests after joining Cardiff from Leeds Rhinos last year.

He marked his union debut with a Cardiff record 31-point Heineken Cup haul against Glasgow in October, but he was exposed defensively during the Ireland game, and now finds himself demoted.

Wales team to play France in the Lloyds TSB Six Nations Championship at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Saturday, February 16:

K Morgan (Swansea), D James (Bridgend), T Shanklin (Saracens), A Marinos (Newport), C Morgan (Cardiff), S Jones (Llanelli), R Howley (Cardiff), S John (Cardiff), R McBryde (Llanelli), C Anthony (Newport), C Quinnell (Cardiff), A Moore (Swansea), N Budgett (Bridgend), M Williams (Cardiff), S Quinnell (Llanelli, capt).

Replacements: B Williams (Neath), D Jones (Neath), I Gough (Newport), G Thomas (Bath), D Peel (Llanelli), I Harris (Cardiff), R Williams (Cardiff).