Hansen: High expectations are justified

Wales coach Steve Hansen believes high public expectation of his team is warranted as they prepare for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship opener against Scotland.

Hansen’s men played some of the most exciting rugby in World Cup 2003, scoring seven tries against New Zealand and eventual champions England, although they lost both games.

Welsh supporters will demand a similar showing during the Six Nations tournament, which starts at a sold-out Millennium Stadium this weekend.

“There is a big difference between this year’s expectations and previous ones,” said Hansen.

“We can justify this year’s by looking at our performances in the World Cup, whereas before, we had neither results nor good performances for justification.

“We were beaten in Australia by two of the top teams in the world in England and New Zealand. Our performances would have been good enough to have beaten most other sides.

“Expectations in Wales are high, but they are warranted, and we need to look at that as a good thing not a bad thing.

“We know if we can perform to our highest standards, then eight times out of 10, that’s going to be good enough for us to win.”

Wales though have suffered a double injury blow with the loss of World Cup forwards Robin McBryde and Robert Sidoli.

Llanelli Scarlets hooker McBryde has a back problem, while Celtic Warriors lock Sidoli is nursing a groin injury, and Hansen has decided not to risk them.

Warriors forward Mefin Davies will replace McBryde, with 34-year-old veteran Gareth Llewellyn winning his 84th cap as deputy for Sidoli.

“If it had been a game to secure the Grand Slam, then maybe both Sidoli and McBryde could have played,” said Hansen.

“But we have taken a long-term approach with both of them. They should be back in contention for the Ireland game (on Sunday week), but for the time being we are happy with the make-up of the team.”

Hansen has made eight changes, including two positional switches, from the team beaten 28-17 by World Cup quarter-final opponents England in Brisbane three months ago.

Prop Duncan Jones and centre Sonny Parker return to the side after injury, while Rhys Williams replaces injured wing Mark Jones and flanker Martyn Williams is recalled instead of star World Cup performer Jonathan Thomas.

The positional alterations are both in the back row, where captain Colin Charvis reverts to blindside flanker and Dafydd Jones features at number eight.

Substitute hookers Gareth Williams and Huw Bennett are bracketed together on the bench, with Williams facing a fitness test tomorrow.

Gareth Thomas will play his first game at full-back for Wales on home soil. He moved there with great success during the World Cup campaign.

Thomas will overtake Ieuan Evans as Wales’ most capped three-quarter against the Scots, when he makes his 73rd appearance. That leaves only Neil Jenkins (87) and Llewellyn ahead of him in the Welsh cap rankings.

Thomas also needs just one try to equal Evans’ Welsh record of 33 in Tests.

“Gareth played full-back in the last two Test matches (against New Zealand and England), and did the job in both,” added Hansen.

“He has a good boot when he uses it, and he offers us a lot of pace from the back.”